Local News Archives for 2018-10

Donations Pour In For Local Teacher Battling Cancer

REDMOND, OR -- The Redmond community is rallying around a teacher recently diagnosed with breast and colon cancer. On Friday, a Dutch Bros fundraiser brought in more than $9,000 for Tracy Pinkerton, a PE teacher at Sage Elementary. A GoFundMe Page has also raised over $11,000.  

 

Pinkerton is also a volleyball coach who has worked in Redmond Schools for 15 years. The single mom of four is currently undergoing radiation treatment.

SW Bend Home Continues Halloween Tradition

BEND, OR -- For the last five years, a southwest Bend couple has dressed up their home with an elaborate Halloween display to entertain trick-or-treaters. This year is no exception. Ken Edwards says he and his wife Teresa spend months coming up with a theme, then setting the scene, "She’s the artist and she does all the detail work. I’m the general contractor, so I get to do all the prop building. We don’t have kids in the home any longer, so this is kind of our gift to the neighborhood kids."


Edwards estimates they saw around 400 kids in 2017, when they created a haunted barn in the front of the house. This year, it’s Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory. "As they approach the castle, there’s lightning strikes and thunder. And then as they get closer, they come into the entryway and on the right hand side is Dr. Frankenstein’s desk with all of his books and his lab notes." He tells KBND News, "I will be dressed as the monster and occasionally will come off of the bed and will be gently scaring some of the older trick or treaters; we have to be a little careful because we have all ages that come."

 

He says they spend months planning their theme and execution, "My wife and I enjoy just working on it together. It gives us a hobby; gives us something to do." He adds, "Each time it gets progressively larger. This is the most elaborate. We’ve been working on it off and on through the summer." But he says it's worth it, for the kids, "They seem to enjoy it. We have children that come year after year and remember some of the themes from prior years. We have people that come from out of the neighborhood. I think the word’s out that this is the place to go and get scared."


You’ll find the spooky castle on Huckleberry Place, off Powers Road; just follow the crowd. Edwards says lightning and other special effects will best be enjoyed after dark. And, Edwards says, if you're looking for the best trick-or-treat candy, you won't find it at his house. All their Halloween budget is spent on the props, "It doesn’t leave much for fancy candy. But, kids don’t come to our house for fancy candy. They come for the show."

Bethlehem Inn Issues Urgent Plea for Food

BEND, OR -- Bend's largest homeless shelter has been very busy in recent weeks. "We have seen an increase in the number of people experiencing homelessness," says Bethlehem Inn Executive Director Gwenn Wysling, "We are just seeing the increasing demand for shelter services."

 

Wysling tells KBND News it's prompted an urgent need for food donations, "Bethlehem Inn is providing three meals a day, so we are looking to make sure that our pantry is full; sometimes that's canned foods, but it can also be some fresh vegetables, and fruit as well." She expects the shelter will serve more than 82,000 meals over the next several months, "Our goal is to make sure that we always have more than two weeks' supply of food on our shelves."

 

The nonprofit tries to make it easy for the community to help, "We have a list that we have on our website; we also have an Amazon wishlist that folks can go to, and it gives them an understanding of the basic staples that we're looking for," says Wysling, "So, they can come to the Inn in person, they can give us a phone call, and we can certainly work with folks that are interested in putting a drive together in their neighborhood, or school, or within maybe their book group or something like that." 

Teens Accused of Stealing Pot During Drug Deal

BEND, OR -- Two teens are accused of stealing marijuana from a 16-year-old, during a weekend drug deal. The younger boy agreed to sell a large amount of pot to 18-year-old Jarron Forbes (pictured) and a 17-year-old boy. But when they met in southwest Bend Sunday evening, police say the suspects refused to pay for it. 


The boy tried to take back his drugs but grabbed Forbes' phone instead. A struggle ensued and the victim suffered minor injuries. The two left but returned a short time later. Forbes allegedly pointed a gun at the victim and demanded his phone back. He took the victim’s phone instead and left. 

 

Following an investigation by Bend Police, Forbes was contacted Monday and arrested on multiple charges, including Robbery and Recklessly Endangering. His alleged 17-year-old accomplice turned himself in and faces similar charges. 

 

Investigators believe the handgun seen was a replica and no weapon has been recovered. 

Stolen Ballots, Tax Statements Recovered Unopened

BEND, OR -- A law enforcement ranger with the BLM found stolen mail from more than 70 Deschutes County addresses, over the weekend, including ballots for next week’s election. Unrelated investigations also turned up stolen mail in other remote parts of the county. Deschutes County Sheriff's Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp tells KBND News this is a priority case. "Mail theft, unfortunately, is not all that uncommon. Unfortunately, it landed the same time as ballots going out. In this particular time, it’s just because it had so much sensitive mail for the election and property taxes also being delivered at the same time; that’s what made this more important than others." The County Clerk is reissuing ballots to the victims. Vander Kamp says, because the election is next Tuesday, anyone who didn't receive their ballot in the mail should contact the Clerk's office. 


Investigators don’t believe thieves were targeting ballots or tax statements, since they were unopened, "Most often, mail thieves are not looking for ballots and property tax bills. They’re looking for checks or things of value they can resell or modify and deposit into a bank, or sell at a pawn shop," says Sgt. Vander Kamp. He admits it will be difficult to track down any suspects, "But, every now and then we get lucky with a fingerprint, or even a tip from a citizen who tells us who the suspects are and we work off those leads."

 

As we approach the holiday season, Vander Kamp says cases like this will likely increase, "If we were to have this conversation in December, I would tell you it’s almost an everyday thing. Between Amazon packages and mailboxes, mail theft is extremely common. This one just took more of an important stance for us just because we recognize that voting is that foundational concept that keeps our entire democratic structure going." He recommends picking up your mail daily, and have the post office hold it, if you go out of town.

Bend Councilor Campbell Lone Incumbent In Race

BEND, OR -- Bend City Councilor Barb Campbell is the only incumbent Councilor running for re-election, this season. Councilors Sally Russell and Bill Moseley are vying for the newly created Mayoral position and Casey Roats announced in August he would not run for re-election, citing health reasons. 

 

Campbell says her biggest achievement on Council, so far, is helping create more housing opportunities, "It was like the City was hemorrhaging when I got there four years ago. We had not had apartments built, there had not been a new apartment complex built in years." She tells KBND News it was important to get Urban Growth Boundary issues under control, and start building up, as well as out, "We started changing code, and policy, in order to put incentives in place, and you can see the results on the ground." She owns Wabi Sabi in Downtown Bend, and says being friendly to small businesses is key to keeping Bend vibrant. Campbell was first elected to Bend's City Council in 2014.

 

She has lived in Bend a long time and knows she's earned a bit of a reputation, "I'm afraid that I come off as impulsive. And I, just frankly, no I'm not. I know I sound like that, and it does have to do with my speaking style. I very seldom use notes; I really do talk off the top of my head. I do tell people what I'm thinking quite frankly." She admits her style makes campaigning difficult, especially at public forums and debates, when answers are limited to two minutes. "When it's a topic like affordable housing and transportation- these are huge subjects. And it really is, it's hard to communicate in nice little bites that people can absorb and understand."

 

Sarah McCormick and Ron Boozel are challenging Campbell for Position Six on Council. For more on the candidates, visit our Elections Page

Deconstruction Begins of Wickiup Jct Overcrossing

LA PINE, OR -- The Oregon Department of Transportation started removing 25 massive beams, Monday, that were supposed to support a new overcrossing at Wickiup Junction. Work on the project stalled in May of 2017, when engineers discovered sediment from an ancient lake created an unstable base for the span. 


ODOT’s Peter Murphy says the project was designed to take traffic over the railroad tracks, in an effort to improve safety for drivers on Highway 97. "The first part of that was going to be the overcrossing, which now, because of the sediment, we can’t do that. So, we and the city are still moving forward with developing ideas, concepts and plans that will make that intersection more safe. And that has been our objective, remains our object and it is our objective moving forward."

 

The state transportation Commission voted to permanently halt construction, a year ago. Murphy says deconstructing the project isn't easy, "What presents a real logistics problem is that it is over a railroad track. And so, the railroad has to work with us, we have to work with the railroad, we have to work with the city of La Pine; I mean, everybody has to be on the same page, here. And, we’ve come up with a plan to remove the beams so they no longer represent an incomplete project." The beams were custom made, so they can’t be reused on another project, "They’ll be broken down into their respective components – concrete and steel. And, we’ll find uses for the steel and for the concrete; you can use concrete for fill in some places" Murphy tells KBND News, "And then the steel, we’ll look at and see if it can be recycled."

 

ODOT spent about $10 million of the $13 million slated for the project, before discovering the overcrossing couldn't be built. 

Redmond Birth Center To Close Next Summer

REDMOND, OR -- St. Charles Health System’s Board of Directors voted Friday to close the Family Birthing Center in Redmond next summer; but officials didn’t tell staff until Monday. Mayor George Endicott, who was vocally opposed to the proposal to close the center, says he got a call from the President of the Redmond hospital just before the announcement went public, "The justification was a repeat of what we heard at the Council meeting, the other night. I went to the birthing center to meet with the nursing staff to discuss the decision and situation. I guess they are still trying to digest what they heard."

 

The decision comes after 10 months of work by a St. Charles task force to increase efficiencies and reduce costs, as well as efforts by city officials, hospital staff and patients to keep it open. Mayor Endicott tells KBND News he's disappointed, "You know, they throw statistics at you. But, people aren’t statistics; people are people. We care about the convenience and the safety for expecting mothers." He adds, "I mean, obviously I’ve never been pregnant, but from what women tell me, when you go into hard labor, you want service and you don’t want to have to drive an extra half hour." But St. Charles OB/GYN and Clinical Director Dr. Barbara Newman says it was not an easy decision and she doesn’t believe women nor babies will be put at risk. She says studies show even an hour drive is considered safe, "The number of unplanned deliveries that happen on the side of the road, that people are worried about, are not as common as you might think. Last year, Redmond had five precipitous deliveries." She acknowledges that "people aren't statistics," but says, "In talking about all this, you do have to have some statistics and some data and some numbers to make intelligent discussions."

 

Dr. Newman says closing the center will allow for greater regional resources, including maintaining the Redmond Women's Clinic, "Our clinic stays there, our surgery stays there, our commitment to our patients and the community stays there. We’re looking at enhanced services for the Center for Women’s Health that’s in Redmond, right now. We’ll still be doing prenatal care there; we’ll still be doing post-natal care, there." Labor and delivery services will be consolidated at St. Charles Bend, where the health system plans to create an obstetric hospitalist program and midwifery services. Officials also say resources will be provided at the Madras birth center to enhance nursing skill and education. 


St. Charles Chief Operating Officer Iman Simmons says over the next nine months, the health system will develop a transition and communication plan, "And that will include key partners, like the obstetricians, the Emergency Department providers and caregivers, our local EMS and Fire patient transporter partners." Simmons also says caregivers in Redmond's Family Birthing Center will be given "every opportunity to move into a job they feel good about." She insists no one will lose their job. 

 

Mayor Endicott is still concerned about the overall impact on the community, "There’s 29 people that service our community out there. For the mothers, it’s a matter of convenience, here in Redmond."

Suspicious Device Found in SW Bend

BEND, OR -- The State Police Bomb Squad responded to southwest Bend, Monday night, after a suspicious device was found on a curb. 

 

A person reported what looked like a pipe bomb just before 5:30 p.m., at the corner of Brookswood Boulevard and Lodgepole Drive. Bend Police were unable to determine whether it was dangerous and asked for help from the Bomb Squad in Salem. 


They arrived a little after 8:30 p.m., rendered the device safe and took it back to Salem for further examination.

COID Embezzlement Case Closed

BEND, OR -- The criminal investigation into alleged embezzlement from Central Oregon Irrigation District is closed before any charges could be filed.

 

Danielle Phillips was under investigation by the Deschutes County District Attorney's office for taking approximately $200,000 dollars in unauthorized pay, vacation leave, and improper credit card charges. D.A. John Hummel says COID referred the case to his office to investigate, "They believed an employee was committing theft, so I assigned my investigator to dig into the facts. We hadn't yet completed our investigation when the suspect, unfortunately, took her life by suicide." He tells KBND News, "Once a suspect passes away, the investigation is done, because on the criminal side, there can be no prosecution of somebody who is deceased."

 

The irrigation district sent a letter to customers last week, outlining the alleged crimes and the death of the lone suspect. COID says the thefts took place over a roughly four-year period, but Phillips was only under suspicion for the last six months of her employment, which ended in August. Hummel says embezzlement is always a serious allegation, "I did take this matter seriously because it alleged a violation of the public trust. Any time a government official or an employee of a government agency is alleged to have stolen money, they are stealing money from all of us; and government corruption is an allegation I take seriously. That's why I jumped in with both feet." But, in this case, he doesn't expect anyone will be tried for the crimes, "I never got to the point where I was ready to file charges. Our investigation was not done. So, we are like, two steps removed here, from guilt."

 

COID has submitted an insurance claim, and hopes the entirety of the loss will be covered. 

Gov. Brown Rallies For Central Oregon Dems

BEND, OR -- Incumbent Governor Kate Brown was in Central Oregon Friday, stumping for local Democratic candidates and taking part in a "Get Out The Vote" event. She encouraged supporters to knock on 10,000 doors in the final 10 days of the campaign season.

 

She faces Republican Bend State Representative Knute Buehler, in November, and polls show the race is tight. But, she believes Oregonians know she's the best fit for the job. "I've certainly learned a lot in the last 3 1/2 years; and I think that experience and knowledge shows in the work that we're doing, in terms of really working to make sure that all of our communities have the tools and the resources they need to thrive, that we're working hard on improving our outcomes in our education system, and working to make sure every Oregonian has access to Health Care." This is a re-match, of sorts, for Brown and Buehler. She beat him in 2012, to keep her position as Oregon Secretary of State.

 

Buehler has attacked Brown for the state's low high school graduation rates. Brown tells KBND News, "I will just say that my Republican opponent has been in the legislature for three years and I would just ask what he's been able to accomplish, and I think it's a really slim record." She considers sending more money to OSU-Cascades as one of her biggest achievements in Central Oregon, "My opponent voted against that legislation and he also voted against my additional $1 Billion investment in K-12." Brown says there's been a 22% increase in education investments on her watch, and it's important to her that every student graduates.

 

Brown also points to her work on the economy, "Lowest unemployment rate, one of the fastest job growth rates. What I'm concerned about is that that economic prosperity doesn't cover all of our communities." She says she wants to make sure rural Oregonians have access to good jobs, broadband and other technology, "I think it's critically important that at this time in Oregon history that we don't move Oregon backward, that we continue to move Oregon forward and make sure that we are the state where everyone has an opportunity to thrive."

 

Governor Brown started her political career in Oregon's House of Representatives in 1991, moving to the Senate in 1996. She was first elected Secretary of State in 2008, then appointed Governor when John Kitzhaber resigned in February 2015. 

Arson Blamed For Redmond Brush Fire

REDMOND, OR --A Redmond man was arrested for arson, after a small brush fire broke out along the railroad tracks on the south end of Redmond.

 

Police and fire crews responded to a report of fire near Brad’s Auto Parts, just before 3 p.m., Sunday. Witnesses saw a man run from the scene and police tracked the suspect to McDonalds. According to investigators, 47-year-old Gerald Tigue lit a sleeping bag on fire, which spread to nearby brush and trees. It’s not clear if he was inside it at the time. 

 

Tigue was treated at the hospital for minor burns. He faces charges of Arson, Reckless Burning, Criminal Mischief and Criminal Trespass. 

 

HD 54 Candidate Not Taking Anything For Granted

BEND, OR -- The three-way race for Bend’s state House Seat has become one of the most unique in Oregon. Three names appear on the ballot for District 54, but only one is taking part in public campaign events. Democrat Nathan Boddie faces allegations he inappropriately touched a woman several years ago, and has so far not responded to invitations for public forums nor media interviews. Working Families candidate Amanda La Bell suspended her campaign after she was accused of lying in the voters’ pamphlet about earning a college degree.


But, Republican Cheri Helt says she’s not focused on her opponents' controversies, "This race has taken a lot of unique twists and turns that I didn’t expect when I signed up to run for House District 54. But, with that being said, this race has never been about my opponents, for me. Nor will it ever be. It’s really about what I want to accomplish in Salem." She tells KBND News she's not taking anything for granted, "I’m very excited to be campaigning and hopefully I will be chosen to go to Salem, and accomplish what I want to accomplish." She and her husband are local business owners and she says that gives her a unique private sector perspective that's needed in Salem. 

 

Helt says her eight years on the Bend-La Pine School Board have prepared her for the job of State Representative. She believes education reform is the biggest issue facing the state, "I really want to focus on schools and change what education means in the state of Oregon for all of our students. We owe them a much better education system than we’re delivering right now. We’re 48th in the nation for graduation rates." Helt says most of Oregon's problems could be addressed with fixing K-12 education, "As we talk about cost of living for housing, one of the things that drives cost of living up, that we don’t really talk about, is the fact that we need trades and we need people working in our trades. And, one of the ways that we do that is to invest in Career and Technical Education options, and really engage kids early on and get them involved in trades. These are really living wage jobs."

 

Bend's House District 54 seat is currently held by Republican Knute Buehler, who is running for Governor. 

Driver Sought in Deschutes Mkt Crash

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is searching for the driver that crashed into a power pole late Friday night, leading to a localize power outage. 


A red Honda Prelude was southbound on Deschutes Market Road when the driver failed to negotiate a curve and slid off the road, at about 11:15 p.m. Deputies arrived within eight minutes but were unable to find the driver. One person saw a pedestrian in the area who may have been the driver, but Deputies couldn't find the person, described only as wearing a dark sweatshirt and jeans. 

 

 


Deschutes Market was closed while crews repaired the power pole, which was broken off its base and leaning over the road. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office at 541-693-6911.

 

Driver Arrested For DUII After Bend Crash

BEND, OR -- An alleged drunk driver crashed on Skyliners Road, early Saturday morning, injuring his two passengers. Bend Police say 21-year-old Trey Bracelin high centered on a large rock, at about 2 a.m., near Flagline Drive.

 

A 22-year-old was treated by medics at the scene, while a 21-year-old passenger was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Bracelin is charged with DUII, Assault and Reckless Endangering. Speed and alcohol were determined to both be factors in the crash. 

Prescribed Burns Planned For This Week

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Forest managers plan more prescribed burns, this week. If conditions allow, they’ll ignite a 148-acre area Monday on the Crescent Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest. The units are about a mile north of the Black Rock gravel pit.

 

Crews also hope to burn slash from forest thinning operations in the Ochoco National Forest. “Canyon 66” is a 100-acre unit, five miles northeast of Ochoco Forest Camp, planned for Monday. On Tuesday, they expect to light the 200-acre “AMP 1” unit, 12 miles northeast of Prineville.

Garbage Truck Crash Leads to Arrest

 

BEND, OR -- A 54-year-old man was arrested after allegedly crashing into a garbage truck then leaving the scene of the accident.

 

The Sheriff’s Office says a Cascade Disposal truck was waiting to turn into the Deschutes River Woods Country Store parking lot, Friday afternoon, when it was struck from behind by a pickup driven by Krishna Desaigouder, who had an outstanding felony parole warrant.

 

He was arrested about two hours later, following an extensive search of the Deschutes River Woods subdivision.

Chain-Reaction Crash Closes Santiam Pass

SISTERS, OR -- A chain-reaction crash near Santiam Pass shut down Highway 20 for three hours, Sunday afternoon. According to State Police, a compact SUV was westbound when the driver lost control in the rain, just before 1:30 p.m. It and spun into the oncoming lane, hitting an eastbound Dodge pickup. That pickup then crashed head-on into a westbound Chevrolet Silverado pickup pulling a travel-trailer. The trailer hit a Lexus SUV, then rolled onto its side, blocking all three lanes of the highway. The Dodge truck also rolled onto its side in the westbound shoulder


The driver of the Dodge and a passenger from the Silverado were flown to St. Charles Bend with serious injuries. The driver of the Silverado was taken by ground ambulance to St. Charles, and two dogs were transported by State Troopers to an emergency vet in Bend. 

Drunk Driver Blamed For Powell Butte Crash

POWELL BUTTE, OR -- The Crook County Sheriff's Office says a Prineville Woman had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit when she was involved in a crash, Friday afternoon. Deputies say a truck towing a livestock trailer was stopped on Powell Butte Highway, waiting to turn on to SW Cronin Road, when it was struck from behind by a Honda Pilot SUV.

 

Investigators determined 32-year-old Laura Brown was driving about 45 MPH when she slammed into the trailer, at about 3:30 p.m. Brown's airbags deployed but no injuries were reported in either vehicle. They learned Brown had been drinking; her blood alcohol level was later determined to be .30 "by weight." The legal limit in Oregon is .08.


Due to her level of intoxication and involvement in a crash, Brown was taken to the hospital for evaluation and cited for DUII, Reckless Driving and Reckless endangering. Powell Butte Highway was reduced to one late for about 30 minutes, Friday afternoon. 

Regional Talk Focuses on Impact of Tight Labor Mkt

BEND, OR -- Central Oregon’s economy continues to grow, keeping the local jobless rates at record lows. Regional Employment Economist Damon Runberg will moderate a conversation next week, about how that growth will impact the area into 2019. He says, to understand our current economic climate, we need a bigger picture perspective, "We tend to silo ourselves in different communities, say well, 'what's Deschutes County doing, or what's Crook County doing, how's Bend doing versus Redmond?' and I sort of want to change our expectations and then think of ourselves as one community, as Central Oregon." He says growth of new businesses is keeping the labor supply low, leaving companies across the area struggling to find qualified workers, "These macro conversations tend to not really bring the impact home until it's like, 'what does that mean for me?' And I think that's sort of our goal, to bring it back home like that." 

 

Runberg tells KBND News Wednesday's Economic Impact Breakfast should be helpful, "I think it's going to be a great snapshot into some of these broader trends that we don't talk about as much; things that are going on at the statewide level, or some of these macro events at the National level." He adds, "[It will be] a great interpretation of what's been happening in the last year or two, from an economic perspective at the national level, at the statewide level. And, they're going to walk away with, hopefully, what that means for them as a business owner, or a worker, or a nonprofit that runs out of Central Oregon."


Wednesday’s Economic Impact breakfast is hosted by the Bend Chamber. It starts at 8 a.m. at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes. Click HERE for more details.

Ochoco School Crossing Welcomes Residents

PRINEVILLE, OR -- A school built in Prineville in 1947 is now the region's newest affordable housing community. Keith Wooden, with Housing Works, says repurposing an historic school had its challenges. But, he believes it was worth it, "It’s not just the 29 units, which are really cool. You have all these other things that are surrounding, and you just don’t get this in new construction." NeighborImpact has a Head Start classroom in the school’s old cafeteria, Crook County Parks and Rec is leasing the gymnasium and the outdoor fields have new life, as well, "We have a park on one spot and we have another lot that’s going to house the Heart of Oregon Youth Build program, and their office," Wooden tells KBND News, "And then, the other part of that lot is going to be kind of an orchard [or] garden for the food bank that’s run by Neighbor Impact, as well."

 

Housing Works to Buy Ochoco Elementary (02/15/16)

 

Wooden says residents were obviously excited to move in to those 29 studio, one, two and three bedroom apartments, which used to be classrooms, "The whole property was full of people, almost within the first two days. And, the last person moved in, I think, on Monday the 15th. So, we had all 29 units occupied within seven days of when we could release units to the public. Normally, 29 units, it would take at least a month." 

 

Former teachers and staff have toured the new facility, and Wooden says they were impressed with what was preserved and what was updated, "This property could’ve been demolished; and they get this historic kind of piece and it’s preserved. And, we were pretty creative with it – keeping the hallways but laying out the classrooms, putting 4’ orange unit numbers and kind of more modern stuff in there. But, preserving a lot of the school elements too."


Housing Works will host a grand opening at Ochoco School Crossing (440 NW Madras Highway), Monday at 2 p.m. 

Redmond Councilors Push To Keep Birth Center

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond’s City Council sent a formal letter to St. Charles Health System’s Board of Directors, this week, asking them to keep the Family Birthing Center at the Redmond Hospital. It follows Tuesday’s Council meeting that attracted dozens of supporters and got heated at times.

 
Dr. Barbara Newman, an OB/GYN and Clinical Director for Women and Children at St. Charles Redmond, told Councilors at the meeting that the proposal to consolidate services in Bend came from months of work by a task force, where six of the 20 members were from Redmond. "Aside from financial considerations, demographics show that the segment of childbearing aged women is decreasing over our three counties; while the 45-65 age group group of women is on the rise. Childbirth numbers have been basically flat here over the last four years." However, Mayor George Endicott told Dr. Newman a recent study of Redmond’s population showed the median age of women in the city is 34.

 

Dr. Newman appeared at the meeting with Aaron Adams, President of the Redmond and Prineville hospitals. Both answered questions from Councilors who were concerned there was not enough consideration given to how closing Redmond's birth center could impact the surrounding community. Dr. Newman believes it will allow the health system to expand services for the entire region, "The proposal, which our task force is forwarding to the Board of Directors, focuses on the addition of a 24/7/365 day in-house midwifery service in Bend, as well as a 24/7/365 day in-house obstetrical coverage with a dedicated obstetrical emergency department, in the form of a hospitalist program."

 

Councilor Camden King told Adams and Dr. Newman the proposal reverses promises made when St. Charles took over the Central Oregon District Hospital in 2000. "I can’t get my head around any notion where removing the birthing center enhances the livability and wellbeing of our community. I mean, I get that there are some financial issues going on. But, if I heard you right, option number two included keeping the birthing center here and enhancing services. As a citizen of Redmond and member of this community, I kind of lean toward option number two." His statement was met with applause from the dozens of hospital staff and supporters in Council Chambers. Following statements by every Councilor in support of the center, they unanimously passed a resolution encouraging St. Charles to keep it open


In the letter sent Wednesday, and obtained by KBND News, Councilors also ask St. Charles to diversify its Board with at least two members from Redmond, as was agreed in 2000 when St. Charles acquired the facility. Read the full letter below.

 

The health system's Board is expected to make a final decision on the fate of the Redmond Birthing Center, before the end of the year. 

 

Mr. Dan Schuette

Chair, St. Charles Health System Board of Directors

2500 NE Neff Road Bend, Oregon 97701  

 

Dear Mr. Schuette: 
 
As Mayor of Redmond, I am sending this letter on behalf of the entire Redmond City Council. 
 
On October 23, 2018, the Redmond City Council unanimously passed Resolution 2018-27.  This Resolution strongly encourages the St. Charles Medical Center Board of Directors to keep the Redmond Birthing Center open and operational so as to provide crucial, necessary, and quality services to Redmond residents.   
 
The Council passed this resolution because we care about the convenience for our community to have their babies in Redmond and not having to drive 20 miles to Bend; we care about giving mothers and families a local choice in a familiar setting for these important life moments; we care about maintaining the employment of 29 – 34 registered nurses without threat of a change in job status/pay/location; and we care about St. Charles upholding the commitment they made when they acquired our local hospital in 2000.  
 
The St. Charles Resolution attracted more than 50 people to our City Council meeting and approximately nine people provided public testimony – including Redmond/Bend CEO Mr. Aaron Adams.  We appreciate Mr. Adams participating in the hearing and helping educate us about the process and the context around the recommendations for moving the Birthing Center to Bend, Oregon. 
 
The purpose of this letter is twofold: 
1) To express the Redmond City Council’s opposition to the St. Charles Board of Directors moving any critical services, including the Redmond Birthing Center, from Redmond to Bend. 
 
2) To encourage St. Charles to diversify the membership of its Board of Directors by reestablishing positions for at least two Redmond representatives consistent with the Asset Transfer Agreement made by St. Charles when it acquired the Central Oregon District Hospital back in 2000.  
  
While we understand the cost drivers St. Charles is using to justify a potential move of the facility, we also feel any such reduction in services in Redmond would be short-sighted. When the Central Oregon District Hospital consolidated with St. Charles, there was a commitment to enhance the public health and general welfare of all residents.   
 
Redmond currently has a population of approximately 29,000 and it is increasing at an annual rate of around 750-800.  As the second largest city in a rapidly growing region, this is not the time to dilute the services offered at St. Charles – particularly one that is so vital to our families.  
 
We feel it is imperative that Redmond families be able to maintain the choice of having their children born in Redmond and implore the Board to make a decision that reflects empathy and compassion rather than quantitative decision methods. 
 
Thank you for your willingness to consider our opinion on this critical matter. 
 
Sincerely, 
George Endicott
Mayor; Redmond, Oregon 

Deschutes Co. 911 Hires Technical Director

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County 911 has hired a new Deputy Director of Technical Systems. The newly created position will provide oversight and overall management of 911’s technical aspects, including the digital radio system – which has been plagued with problems for more than a year – as well as phone and computer-aided dispatch systems.

 

Will Mullins has a degree in IT Management and has more than 15 years of telecommunications experience. After completing his military service, he reportedly worked in various public safety-related telecommunication capacities and earned several industry-recognized certifications. "We're extremely excited to bring Will on board," Sara Crosswhite, Interim Communications Director for Deschutes County 911, said in a statement. "He has a breadth of telecommunications experience and a proven track record of implementing and maintaining complex systems."

 

Mullins starts Monday, October 29.

Bend Police Sgt. Honored at State Memorial

BEND, OR -- The name of a Bend Police Sergeant will be added to the state’s Fallen Law Enforcement Officer Memorial, next spring.

 

Sgt. John Lawrence suffered a fatal heart attack at home, less than three hours after completing his shift, in which he responded to a bank robbery. His 2014 death was determined to be in the line of duty, because it occurred within 24 hours of engaging in an on-duty situation.

 

Lawrence was a 10-year veteran of Bend Police and served with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office for more than four years prior to shifting to Bend. His name will be added during a ceremony in May, along with Ashland Police Officer Malcus Williams who died in March 2018, after suffering a heart attack while responding to a domestic disturbance. They take the number of names honored at Oregon's memorial to 185.

Dogs Rescued From Redmond House Fire

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond firefighters rescued two dogs from a burning home, Thursday night. Crews responded to Southwest 55th Ave. at about 9 p.m. and found flames coming from the front of the two-story home.

 

They knocked down the blaze and began searching for anyone inside. Using thermal imaging, they located two large dogs in an upstairs bedroom and reunited them with their owner waiting outside.

 

It took crews just under an hour to get the fire under control. It caused about $50,000 in damage, and the Red Cross is helping the resident and his dogs. 

 

 

 

Food Waste Recycling Program Expands In Bend

BEND, OR -- Bend Garbage & Recycling and Cascade Disposal customers who participate in the yard debris program, will be able to also recycle all food waste, curbside, starting next month. President Brad Bailey says they already take fruit and vegetable products; this program expands on that, "It’s really allowed customers to do virtually all their food waste, now. So, the pilot program we’re starting would include all food waste – meat, dairy, cheeses – the other part of the food that wasn’t included with the vegetative waste. We would take that material, collect it and compost it." 

 

Bailey tells KBND News the pilot program will roll out on a limited basis, at first, "To about 600 customers, in both Cascade Disposal and Bend Garbage’s service areas, as a start. To help facilitate it, we’re providing a kitchen pail to the residents – it’s a two-gallon pail they can put the material in and transport that out to their yard debris cart." Those buckets will be delivered to eligible customers the week of November fifth. Bailey says once a household receives the pail, they can start putting meat, dairy and bakery items in with their yard debris and "vegetative waste" at no extra cost. 

 

Customers are not allowed to include cooking grease or non-organic material, "Plastic bags, produce bags, produce stickers, food ware, pet waste, other garbage – all that needs to be kept out of this," says Bailey, "So, it’s just purely food waste or yard debris. That’ll help keep the material clean and keep the contamination out of the final product, the compost that’s made from this." That compost is made at Deschutes Recycling.

 

Bailey says the program will be tested over the next several months in Bend, and re-evaluated next spring. He's hopeful they'll be able to allow High Country Disposal customers to participate, later in 2019. 

Sisters Retools Vacation Rental Rules

SISTERS, OR -- Sisters officials are finalizing new rules for short term vacation rentals, following a public review process. Bree Anne McConkie, with the Sisters Planning Department, tells KBND News the rules are strict, but designed to improve neighborhood livability, "One that we had early on looked at was a city-wide cap, with no spacing requirement. After looking through that option, the Council decided that was not the direction they wanted to go, and they thought it was important that they not have concentration of these, so they preferred the spacing requirement." She adds, "There's going to be a new 250' buffer for all new vacation rentals, if there's an existing vacation rental, you'll not be able to have a new vacation rental within 250 feet."

 

There will also be limits on transferability, "Short term rental permits will no longer run with the land," McConkie says, "And again, this is only for new short term rentals, so any that are established under this new code; they are tied to the specific owner, and so a new owner coming in would actually have to then reapply."


The new rules, McConkie says, are a compromise between those who don't want short term rentals in Sisters city limits, and those who believe they should be able to do with their properties as they see fit  without interference from local government.


Another public hearing on the revisions is scheduled for November 14. An official decision is expected by City Council before the end of the year.

DCSO Public Safety Campus Plans Take Shape

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners are narrowing in on a master plan for the public safety campus at the Sheriff’s Office, in Bend. Sheriff Shane Nelson says it’s important to be strategic about how to utilize the remaining land on the property, "Take a look at what our needs, or potential needs, will be in the next 20-30 years. And, of course, taking a look at that footprint so we can have a good, solid plan, so that you can also put money away for some of those proposals that you see coming in the future."


Nelson says with expansion and more staff, comes the need for more space, "Every time you grow, for our core purpose of public safety, you also grow in support services. And so, when you start looking at space needs – I mean, we’re going to need future space for Search and Rescue; we’re one of the busiest Search and Rescues in the state – and we have to have equipment to do that and personnel to do that."

 

The campus serves 911, Community Justice, Health Services, State Police and the Sheriff’s Office, including the jail. Eventually, it's also expected to be home to a crisis stabilization and stabilization center.  The latest Master Plan proposal, discussed at Wednesday's meeting, includes expanding the office space of Parole & Probation and work center, building a shop for use by Community Justice and remodeling an existing building for use as the stabilization center. Sheriff Nelson tells KBND News, "We have remodeled our main building two different times and it’s served its purpose well; it’s been in place 20 years. But, as we look at future needs, we’ve got to have expanded visiting opportunities for inmates’ attorneys, as well as behavioral health folks to access inmates. So, when you take a look at this footprint, you talk with the offices and departments’ needs and kind of pencil out what the needs will be in the future so you have enough space."

 

Commissioners asked county staff to move forward with soliciting design RFPs (Request For Proposal), and prepare to discuss financing options in the near future. 

La Pine City Mgr Moving to Sisters

 

SISTERS, OR -- La Pine’s City Manager is moving to Sisters. Cory Misley was chosen at Wednesday's Sisters City Council meeting to replace City Manager Brant Kucera, who took a job in the Midwest.

 

Misley has been City Manager of La Pine since 2015 and holds a Masters of Science in Public Policy. Mayor Chuck Ryan says they were pleased with the overall talent of the candidate pool but Misley rose to the top. Ryan issued a statement after the meeting, saying, "The city is very lucky to have found a local candidate that has the exact experience and qualifications that the city was searching for." He went on to say, "We look forward to having Cory help advance our strategic visioning process so that Sisters will evolve into the community that our Sisters Country residents have outlined for us."

 

Misley takes over after Thanksgiving.

Portland Man Suspected of Multiple Bend Assaults

BEND, OR -- A Portland man faces assault charges after several altercations in northeast Bend. Witnesses reported a man involved in two separate incidents near NE Third and Penn Ave., at about 2:20 p.m. He's accused of assaulting a man and a woman, then left the area.

 

One person saw the suspect enter Albertsons. Police found 33-year-old Veikoso Moala walking through the store and tried to take him into custody. He initially refused to comply; but after a brief struggle, Moala was arrested. Two officers were treated at the scene for injuries sustained during the arrest.

 

Moala is charged with two counts of Assault on a Public Safety Officer, two counts of Assault IV, two counts of Resisting Arrest, three counts of Disorderly Conduct and Interfering with a Police Officer. 

Public Input Needed For Prineville Skate Park

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Crook County Park and Recreation District is looking for community input on the final design of the skate park in Ochoco Creek Park. Executive Director Duane Garner says residents can find out about the project and interact with representatives from Dreamland Skate Parks at a community meeting on Thursday, "This will be an opportunity for [people] to interact with the designers and share what their thoughts are, and the designers can interact with them. This is an opportunity to interact with the  professionals to come up with a design that works well in Prineville."

 

Garner says this project has been in the works for more than three years. "We, this last year, landed a local government grant through the state and are going to be able to basically rehabilitate and then double the size of our skate park, here in Prineville." He tells KBND News, "We have a conceptual layout, but we're moving forward with construction prints, so this is kind of the last design meeting for folks to have input in all the particulars." That meeting begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, at Pioneer School. Garner hopes the project goes out to bid this winter and is completed by June of 2019.

Redmond School Bond in Voters' Hands

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond voters will decide on a $70 million school bond, next month. Superintendent Mike McIntosh has been working on the funding request for over a year, and says about half of the money is needed to replace 53-year-old M.A. Lynch elementary, which suffered substantial damage in the winter of 2016-17. "Lynch became the big problem, I think, when it was built. It was not built for Central Oregon, nor was it built to change with the ever changing needs of education. Two years ago, the biggest thing came with our Snowmageddon. It’s become probably the most urgent physical need of our school district."

 

The other dozen schools in the district get a piece, too, "Every school gets a fix from a few hundred thousand dollars to a few million dollars, primarily in this area of safety and security." He says the school most in need of a security upgrade is Obsidian Middle School, next door to Lynch. "If you’ve been in that school, it’s a very well-built facility; but the office is set way back in the middle of it, with two main entryways that are difficult to secure [and] no visible contact with who’s coming up to the door." He tells KBND News, "We’re going to address that in a big-time way, by moving the office, making the North Entry the main entry; sharing that parking lot with the new Lynch Elementary, making that kind of a first through eighth grade campus, with opposing schools right across the parking lot."


McIntosh says even the district’s newest school needs work. Ridgeview High, which opened in 2012, wasn’t built with active shooters in mind. "This is a phenomenon that’s happened in the last five to ten years that hasn’t caught us off guard, but it’s ramped up and it’s escalated very rapidly."

 

The bond would increase property taxes in the district by $.54 per $1,000 of assessed value. If it's approved November 6, the owner of a home assessed at $200,000 would pay a total of about $9 a month to the district. To hear our full conversation with Superintendent McIntosh, click HERE

 

For more coverage of local measures and races on the November ballot, visit our Elections Page

Indictment Dismissed For Embezzlement Suspect

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County District Attorney has filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against a Bend woman accused of stealing from her employer. Gretchen Miller was accused last year of embezzling from Bend Painting while she was the company’s bookkeeper.

 

D.A. John Hummel moved to dismiss the 15-count indictment after learning that during the July Grand Jury hearing, the owner of Bend Painting met with a juror and discussed the merits of the case. Neither reported the interaction and the juror continued to hear the case. 

 

Hummel released the following statement, Tuesday: 

No individual criminal case is more important than the sanctity of our criminal justice system.  When misconduct occurs I’ll root it out and make things right. Grand jurors should never discuss with anyone what happens in a grand jury hearing and victims of crime should not seek out grand jurors to put their spin on the evidence. The scales of justice were tipped in this case and I won’t stand for that in Deschutes County.

Salem Man Accused Of Local Banking Scheme

BEND, OR -- Bend Police say they've arrested a Salem man responsible for an intricate scheme that defrauded a local business. 


Officers arrested 31-year-old Jason Goulet, Tuesday morning, following a brief car chase and extensive search. The operation led to a brief lock-out of Silver rail Elementary due to reports he may have a gun. Goulet was taken in to custody at the park near the school and no gun was found.


Investigators say Goulet purchased three chainsaws from a local store, using a realistic-looking cashier’s check from a fake bank. He went so far as to use a re-routed phone number so he could take calls for "APX Commercial Bank." He then sold the chainsaws on Craigslist for $2,500. 


Anyone with information regarding Goulet's activities, APX Bank, or the location of those chainsaws is asked to call Bend PD. The three Stihl chainsaws are:

  • Stihl MS661rcm               serial number #184499316
  • Stihl MS461R28              serial number #184596769
  • Stihl MS461R28              serial number #184159922

 

Adair & Cook Differ On Tackling Growth, Housing

BEND, OR -- Ballots are already rolling in to local elections offices. With nearly 3% of Deschutes County ballots returned, as of Monday afternoon, candidates are in the home stretch. 

 

The race for Deschutes County Commissioner Position Three is a contentious one, with both candidates trying to convince voters they’re the best person to take over Tammy Baney’s seat. Republican Patty Adair and Democrat James Cook both say managing growth and addressing affordable housing are the biggest issues facing the county, but they disagree on how to tackle them.

 

Adair says she would lobby the Legislature to allow Accessory Dwelling Units - also known as "granny flats" - in unincorporated areas. "Right now, we have a lot of people that are working, families that are living in fifth-wheels, and I feel like the Accessory Dwelling Unit would be a worthwhile [solution], instead of having to move to Prineville, to Crook County or to Jefferson County." She tells KBND News, "Those people that are living in fifth wheelers could actually move into an apartment or a small home that someone has added, legally, to their rural property."

 

Cook also supports allowing ADUs, but says it won’t help most low-income families, "First of all, there’s a limited number of properties which will actually be able to accommodate an ADU. Secondly, those ADUs are obviously in the country and the places we need housing is in our cities, where it’s close to services." He wants to look for ways to make it more affordable to build houses for working-class families making more than 80% of the area's median income. Cook says, "People making above that, but still making middle-class wages – people like our nurses, our school teachers, our firefighters – have a housing crisis and they’re not getting that subsidized housing."

 

Adair sees the problems associated with growth compounded by cities not requiring more parking for new apartment complexes. "A large unit that was built in Bend, that’s being in Bend. And, it’s definitely – I believe we need to add more parking. Unfortunately, I’ve been told that we can’t go underground with parking, but could we add a level or two of parking within the building?" But, She acknowledges that issue must be addressed by city government, not the county. Cook believes Commissioners can help by partnering with cities on more projects like the affordable housing proposals in Bend and Redmond, now competing for a special Legislative program, "The county owns land that we’re hoping will be donated to the city, to take the land cost out of that."

 

Click HERE to listen to our full conversation with James Cook and Patti Adair.  For more on the candidates and issues on the November ballot, visit our Elections Page

Nurses to Speak At Redmond Council Mtg

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond City Councilors will discuss a resolution, Tuesday night, encouraging St. Charles Health System to keep the Family Birthing Center (FBC) open at its Redmond hospital. The St. Charles Board of Directors is considering a proposal to consolidate Labor & Delivery services at the Bend hospital. A final decision is expected later this year.

 

FBC caregivers, like RN Amber Loredo, plan to speak at Tuesday's Council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. She says she'll be there as a patient and employee, "Because this is a big issue that is going to effect, not only patients and nurses, but also there are family members; not to mention, even infrastructure. And, to really let their voices be heard, much like a lot of the population in Redmond and surrounding communities are doing, right now." She's referring to the Oregon Nurses Association petition in favor of keeping Redmond's FBC, which now has more than 2,440 signatures.

 

Loredo acknowledges the City Council can’t force the health system to keep the facility open. But, but she hopes their resolution will have an impact, "This is a political entity and has a lot of important issues that they deal with for the Redmond community on a very frequent basis. And, without political and government structures, we’d kind of be in a little place of mayhem." She tells KBND News, "[It] just kind of shows everybody that the community involvement and expectations for healthcare is really, really important. It also shows that everyone really comes together and cares about what goes on in the community." 

 

City Councilor Jon Bullock's re-election campaign issued the following statement from Bullock, in advance of Tuesday's vote: 

Redmond moms and families should not be forced into a position of traveling nearly 20 miles to Bend to welcome their newborn baby into the world. This is especially true during our winter months when travel can be dangerous and time consuming, depending upon weather conditions. 


I want Redmond moms and families to be able to deliver their children in Redmond. I want them to be able to be near their friends and their support system, and I want them to be just a short drive from their home. 
 
When I expressed interest in filling the vacant Council position in 2017, it was because I wanted to give back to Redmond, a community that has provided me with a great place to live and work and to raise my daughter. I wanted to help and support the citizens of Redmond. It is for those same reasons I am seeking reelection this November to earn a four-year term. 
 
As such, I cannot sit idly by and allow the St. Charles Medical Center Board to decide the fate of the Redmond Birthing Center without making my opposition to a move crystal clear. In addition to the problems this closure might cause for moms and families, it also puts at risk jobs that may be transferred out of Redmond or might potentially be eliminated all together.  
 
In 2001, when the Central Oregon District Hospital consolidated with St. Charles, there was commitment to enhance the public health and general welfare of all residents.  The proposed relocation of the Birthing Center is not consistent with that commitment and that is why on Tuesday evening I will be supporting the City Council resolution opposing the closing and relocating of the Redmond Birthing Center. 

D.A. Releases Details of Bend Double Shooting

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County District Attorney is releasing more details of a weekend shooting in a northeast Bend home that left two men dead. D.A John Hummel tells KBND News, "This is the worst event during my four years as District Attorney, and perhaps the worst thing that's ever happened in this community. Just horrific."

 

Hummel says Kyle Adams was woken up in the middle of the night by his neighbor, Tyler Herrick, who was standing in his bedroom speaking gibberish. Adams asked him to leave, then texted his roommate; Brennan Pebbles immediately came home from work. The two men were sitting in their living room at around 1:30 a.m. when Herrick returned. "Unbeknownst to them, [Herrick] went back to get his AR-15 rifle," says Hummel, "He walked back over, stood in their front yard, pointed his rifle through the living room window, and opened fire." Adams was struck and later died at the hospital.  

 

After Adams was shot, Hummel says, Pebbles ran upstairs to hide. But Herrick followed, "He methodically hunted for Pebbles. He went on a room-by-room search hunting Pebbles. When he entered the master bedroom, Pebbles shot from the master bathroom and killed Herrick." 


Hummel says there was no justification for Herrick's actions, "Adams and Pebbles were roommates. They lived next door to 31-year-old Tyler Herrick. They didn't know Herrick well, they just knew him as their neighbor. He was an acquaintance, really." But, he says the investigation continues, "We know what happened; we don't yet know the why, but we're going to keep working on it until we know the why." He adds, "We don't know if he was experiencing a mental health crisis. We don't know if it was psychosis from drugs. We don't know what may have caused him to think that he needed to do that, but it wasn't because of anything that Pebbles or Adams did." Hummel says, "They did nothing to deserve this. This was brought on them by a person who was sick in the head, and we don't know why."

Shots Fired In Bend Park, Transient Arrested

BEND, OR -- Bend Police converged on Sawyer Park, Monday night, when  more than 10 people reported hearing gunshots. When officers arrived just after 8 p.m., they heard more gunfire; they estimate 15-20 shots were fired, in total.


After securing the area, they used a drone to locate the suspect as he walked from the footbridge towards O.B. Riley Road. Officers arrested 43-year-old transient Anthony Paxton without incident, who they say had a 9mm handgun, two magazines and additional rounds of ammo, along with two illegal knives. 


He told police he was shooting empty beer cans. A second drone was deployed to search for potential victims or other suspects but none were found. 


Anyone whose home or car was hit by bullets should contact Bend PD. Paxton is charged with Unlawful Possession of a Weapon - Switchblade and Balisong Knives, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Unlawful Use of a Weapon - Firearm. 

Young Bend Mountain Biker Rescued After Crash

MT. BACHELOR, OR -- A boy from Bend was hurt in a mountain biking accident near Swampy Lakes Snow Park, Sunday afternoon.

 

Deschutes County Search and Rescue responded to the area and provided some medical treatment. He was then wheeled to the trailhead where Bend Fire medics took over and transported him to St. Charles Bend with non-life threatening injuries.

 

Six Hurt In Jefferson County Crash

MADRAS, OR -- Six people were hurt in a weekend crash, on Highway 97 north of Madras. Two vehicles were involved in the collision, which occurred just before 10 o'clock Saturday night, blocking both lanes near milepost 88.

 
Both drivers had to be pulled from the wreckage by Jefferson County Fire crews; one passenger suffered serious head and pelvic injuries. Three other passengers sustained less serious injuries. Two helicopters and two ground ambulances took the six patients to the hospital. 

 

Oregon State Police are investigating. 

Bend Transient Arrested For Stabbing

BEND, OR -- A Bend man faces assault and other charges after a stabbing outside of the Astro Lounge in downtown Bend, late Saturday. The 24-year-old victim had a laceration on his stomach when police arrived; he was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.


Gregory Tahsahsanah, a 43-year-old transient, was arrested at the scene. Investigators say Tahsahsanah stabbed the man at about 10:30 p.m. after the two got into a verbal dispute. 

California Man Arrested For 2017 La Pine Robbery

LA PINE, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says they have a suspect in custody in connection with a robbery at the Shop Smart store, in La Pine, over a year ago.

 

Detectives identified 30-year-old Robert Bruton, of Ojai, California, as the man responsible for the July 2017 incident. They issued a warrant and he was arrested in California, last week. Bruton is now at the Deschutes County Jail, facing charges of Robbery III and Theft II. 

 

Investigators believe he's the man who picked up a couple items at the store, walked up to the register and handed the checker a note demanding cash from the till. The robber never displayed a weapon, but got away with an undisclosed amount of cash. 

Double Shooting Remains Under Investigation

BEND, OR -- Bend Police continue to investigate a weekend shooting that left two men dead. They say 31-year-old Brennan Pebbles called 911 just before 1:30 a.m., Saturday, to report he had shot someone in his home on NE Sierra Drive. 


When officers arrived, they found 31-year-old Tyler Herrick shot dead and 33-year-old Kyle Adams with life-threatening gunshot wounds. He was taken to the hospital where he later died. 


Investigators have not released details, but KBND News has learned this may have been a home-invasion by Herrick. According to Deschutes County property records, he owned the house next door to Pebbles and Adams. 


Police say Pebbles is cooperating with the investigation and no arrests have been made. 

Redmond Burg Blamed on Two Young Boys

REDMOND, OR -- Two young suspects are accused of breaking into a Redmond convenience store last week, and stealing e-cigarettes. Investigators identified the 12- and 8-year-old boys on Thursday.

 

The burglary occurred at about 1 a.m. October 12, at the Chevron Westside One Stop, near 15th and Highland Ave. A witness tipped off police after seeing two people run from the scene. Surveillance footage shows the burglars breaking a window and climbing through, twice, to take e-cigarettes from a display case.

 

Nearly a week later, a School Resource Officer responded to Elton Gregory Middle School after a student was caught with an e-cigarette. The officer recognized the brand as the same type taken in the burglary and noticed the student resembled the person seen in the video. 

 

E-Cigs, Vaping Surge in Redmond Schools (09/26/2018)

 

At the conclusion of the investigation, the 12-year-old was arrested and released to his parents; he faces charges including Burglary and Criminal Mischief. The 8-year-old was identified but not arrested, because state law states a child must be at least 12 to be charged with a crime, except in rare circumstances. 

City Joins Fight Over Redmond Birthing Ctr

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond City Councilors will discuss next week how to work with St. Charles Health System, in response to a proposal to close the Family Birthing Center at the Redmond hospital. Mayor George Endicott says he has drafted a resolution to apply pressure on hospital leaders, "Regardless of the organization, if there is enough of a public outcry, they are going to listen." He acknowledges it's unusual for the city to get involved in decisions made by private companies but, he tells KBND News, this is different, "Because it's a public good. The fact that - in this case, women - but families in general, want to have a place that they feel comfortable, that's close, that's convenient, that has a first-class quality staff to serve them. And, that's what this is all about. I mean, reducing services for such a critical issue is just unacceptable." Click HERE to view the full resolution to be considered at Tuesday's City Council meeting. 

 

At a candidate forum Thursday, Mayor Endicott and his opponent in the November election, former Mayor and local attorney Ed Fitch, fielded questions about the St. Charles proposal. Both agree the center should remain open. Fitch told the crowd, "From my perspective, I think we need to break the monopoly of St. Charles. My recommendation is that we start a discussion about getting the hospital here back from St. Charles, and partner with a regional partner, like Providence. We need competition in healthcare in Central Oregon." He was part of the legal team involved in the 2000 merger, when St. Charles took over the Redmond hospital. He says losing the birthing center violates the spirit of that agreement. Endicott and Fitch both say the community believed the health system would enhance healthcare in the community, not limit services.

 

The St. Charles Board is expected to decide before the end of the year whether to merge Redmond and Bend birthing centers at the Bend hospital. Earlier this week, several community members joined St. Charles Redmond nurses and other staff to rally in opposition of the proposal. 

Redmond Mayoral Candidate Outlines Pot Plan

REDMOND, OR -- At their final debate, Thursday, Redmond Mayor George Endicott and challenger Ed Fitch again answered questions about the city's ban on marijuana-related businesses. Ed Fitch, an attorney and former Mayor of Redmond, further outlined his proposal to send the issue to voters, during the public forum hosted by the Redmond Rotary.

 

He says, if elected, he would craft a zoning ordinance to restrict where pot shops could open, "If we allow two marijuana retail shops in Redmond in very discreet locations, one on the north and one on the south side, we would be able to obtain approximately $80,000 a year from the state, in terms of shared revenue."

 

He also recounted a story about a recent conversation between his wife and some friends, "who average maybe 65-70 years old." He says they shared, "where they go to get their marijuana." Fitch went on to explain, "I'm not talking about the THC; I'm talking about the CBD that you use to maybe ease your pain, ease your arthritis, etc. We don't have that opportunity here in Redmond." However, Cannabidiol (CBD) oil is not regulated like marijuana because it contains only trace levels of THC, the ingredient in pot that causes a "high," and there are several outlets in Redmond that currently sell CBD oil. When KBND News asked Fitch to clarify, he said it was "news to me" that CBD oil is available in Redmond. "At least that's their perception [that] they had to go to Bend." Fitch added, "But, I still think you need to have the people decide whether or not you're going to have these retail shops, which could do both the CBD and the THC. That should be up to the voters."

 

Despite recreational marijuana's legal status in Oregon, Redmond's city code currently prohibits any business that violates federal law. At the forum, Mayor George Endicott said he talked about the issue with Congressman Greg Walden, this week, and believes the feds will soon change the classification for medical marijuana. Endicott supports allowing marijuana pharmacies if and when that happens. 

Bend Prepares To Reopen 14th Street

BEND, OR -- Reconstruction of 14th Street, on the west side of Bend, is nearing completion and city officials want to celebrate. Work began last spring and featured a major road closure and numerous detours. Project engineer Garrett Sabourin says motorists will be allowed to drive on it by Friday afternoon, "A lot of people probably saw we were just paving last week, striping the road this week, and now we're just trying to finish up the landscaping and get as many workers out of the road before we start sending vehicles down there."

 

It’s the eighth project funded by a 2011 general obligation (G.O.) bond. Sabourin says everyone is invited to a party, Friday afternoon, "It's really to celebrate the completion of the Transportation general obligation bond, which encompassed several projects across the City, and the opening of 14th street, which is the final G.O bond Project." He tells KBND News, "It'll be a lot of the people who've been involved at the higher level of the project, kind of talking about some of the successes, and the people who've been involved throughout this process, and showing some appreciation to those, as well as the community that's had to deal with the impact that's inherently associated with these construction projects."

 

The party starts at 3:30 p.m. in the Parilla Grill parking lot near the 14th and Galveston roundabout. "At the end of the celebration here, a formal or official ribbon cutting, followed by pulling all the signs back and opening it up to traffic." Sabourin says a few final touches are still needed, "We'll be done, as far as most people will see. There'll be some small punch list items to still do, but once we open the road, it's open, though. We're not going to reclose the road, by any means."

Crook County Man Charged with Rape

PRINEVILLE, OR -- A Crook County man faces numerous sex abuse charges, after his alleged victim contacted the Sheriff’s office to report she had been assaulted, this month.

 

On Thursday, Detectives executed a search warrant for a home on NW Vista View Lane, north of Prineville, where she said the assault occurred. They also searched a neighboring property on Mint Lane. The investigation led to the arrest of 40-year-old Timothy Evans. He's accused of Rape in the first degree, Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the first degree, Sex Abuse in the first degree and a probation violation. 

Fire Damages NW Redmond Townhome

REDMOND, OR -- A fire that started in shrubs in front of a Redmond townhome caused about $500 in damage, Thursday afternoon. Fire crews responded to the home near NW 27th and Cedar Ave just after 4:30 p.m. and found two neighbors using fire extinguishers on the flames, which extended 20' into the air.

 

Firefighters were able to quickly knock down the fire and say it did not extend inside the two-story townhome. Redmond Fire officials say the investigation continues into the cause of the blaze. 

 

La Pine Mayoral Candidates Outline Visions

LA PINE, OR -- La Pine Mayor Dennis Scott is not running for re-election, citing health issues. That means the city's top job is up for grabs. The two candidates running in November share a love of La Pine, but have different visions for its future.

 

City Councilor Connie Briese tells KBND News, "Paying attention to the values that La Pine was incorporated on, so keeping it small, even though we are going to grow, but keeping that feeling of we're still a small town." She says she wants to make sure, "What we do, when we grow, we are looking at all those things that are important to us." Briese says while on Council she's been working on the city's future, and wants to continue, "Part of what I intend on doing is just making sure that the projects that are currently going on keep moving forward at a good pace, and that we're paying attention to what our goals were in achieving those projects."


Businessman and Marine Corp veteran Dan Richer says growth is inevitable, but can be well-managed, "We really don't want to be a metropolis. We enjoy the type of lifestyle that we have here, but we also would like a few conveniences in our town." And, he says, he'd like to see La Pine become a destination point, "For events and for tourism, bring in some business as people pass through, it would be nice if they stopped and enjoyed our restaurants, shopped in our stores, visited our items that are just unique to La Pine." He tells KBND News, "It would be very nice to direct growth in a beneficial manner for La Pine. We don't need to increase our tax base, we have a very strong sense of community here."


Both Candidates took part in a breakfast forum, Friday morning, hosted by the La Pine Chamber at the Senior Center. Click HERE for more on the November Election. 

Convicted Redmond Sex Offender On the Run

REDMOND, OR -- A convicted sex offender is on the run and detectives are asking for the public’s help to find him. Redmond Police Lt. Curtis Chambers says Michael Bremont was indicted last year on new Sex Abuse charges, and ordered to wear a GPS ankle bracelet until his trial, which was set to start next week. "On Wednesday," Chambers says,
"Redmond Police were notified the ankle bracelet Mr. Bremont was wearing appeared to be tampered with." They recovered the bracelet, but not the suspect. "The investigation revealed that Mr. Bremont, who is now going by the name of Michael Tallman, may have fled the area or is about to flee the state." He's also known to use the name Jacob Straib.

 

Lt. Chambers says, "Mr. Tallman has been previously convicted of Sex Abuse in the second degree, after engaging in a sexual relationship with underage students at the Redmond Proficiency Academy; a school in which he helped found and directed." He served his time for that conviction, but was indicted on ten new counts last year after another victim came forward to report crimes that allegedly occurred several years ago. That trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday.

 

Anyone who knows where he is should call Deschutes County non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911, or their local law enforcement. 

 

 

 

 

FBI Issues Nationwide Alert for Missing WI Teen

MILWAUKEE, WI -- The FBI in Oregon is asking for tips if anyone has information about the disappearance of Wisconsin girl. Jayme Closs has been missing since Monday, when her parents were found shot to death in their home in Barron, WI. She's 13 years old and has green eyes, blonde or strawberry-blonde hair, weights 100 pounds and is 5' tall. 

 

The FBI doesn't have information that she's in Oregon, specifically, but they're distributing the missing persons alert nationwide. 

 

Bend Seeks Input on Affordable Housing

BEND, OR -- The city of Bend is working to identify needs and priorities on issues like homelessness, housing and community development. Affordable Housing Coordinator Rachael Egan Baker says, "We’re looking for feedback to determine the needs and how to address them. And, results from this survey will help define funding goals for the next five years." Click HERE to participate in the survey. 

 

It asks several questions like, "Are we in need of more emergency shelters? Are we in need of more different types of housing? Are we in need of more job training?" Egan Baker tells KBND News, "This source of money is available from many different kinds of opportunities and we need the community to help define or identify what it needs."

 

Creating a plan for future Community Development Block Grants is required by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Egan Baker says it's a lengthy process by design, "We’ll take those survey results and we’ll discuss them at our Affordable Housing Advisory Committee meetings and compile those results; then that will help identify, moving forward, the strategies and goals that we will draft and present to the public in the spring, in addition to the community meetings where we will also be gathering information." The online survey is available through November 30. 

Bend Asks State To Release Stevens Rd Tract

BEND, OR -- Bend's City Council has agreed to send a request to Oregon's Department of State Lands (DSL), asking for the release of hundreds of acres on the southeast end of town. Officials say it would be best used for a multi-use development, including single- and multi-family housing, public facilities, and commercial and industrial sites.

 

City Manager Eric King says sending a letter to the DSL is the first step in freeing the land from state control, "The City recently expanded its Urban Growth Boundary, which is the land that the city can urbanize; and we expanded our boundary by about 10% a few years ago. So, now we're in the process of bringing that land inside the city for needed jobs and housing units. And some of that land is under public ownership." He says, "This particular tract is owned by the State Division of Lands."

 

King tells KBND News, "One challenge that we, of course, have in Bend is that our housing prices are escalating rapidly. And one way to attack that is through increasing supply. So we need that land that's been in that expanded Urban Growth Boundary to be developed so it can take some of that pressure off." 

 

He believes a formal request from the city is s the best way to get the state to take action, "Do your part getting this land more market ready. Most likely, it would be selling the property." The state doesn't typically develop infrastructure to create shovel ready lots, so releasing the 225-acre parcel from state control would allow local developers to get started, "What we're just encouraging the agency to do, they've got lots of inventory of land all over the state, and we want to make it be known that there's an acute housing crisis in Bend."


The state held land is located on Stevens Road, south of Reed Market Road, with frontage on 27th Street. Council approved the letter (below) at Wednesday night's meeting. 

 

Subject: DSL Section 11 Land, Bend, Oregon (Stevens Road Tract)


Dear Director Walker,
Congratulations on your recent appointment. We want to provide an update on the City of Bend’s progress in implementing its recently approved urban growth boundary expansion (UGB). Further, we want to request your help with taking measures to see that the Stevens Road property is developed to meet our community’s growing needs. 

In December of 2016, after a nearly 10-year effort, the City received approval from the Department of Land Conservation and Development to expand the UGB by approximately 2400 acres. As you are likely aware, approximately 225 acres of land owned by DSL was included in Bend’s UGB expansion. The DSL Stevens Road property is located on Bend’s east side with frontage on 27th Street.
The UGB expansion areas will provide room for Bend’s various land needs through 2028. However, not all expansion areas were created equal and some have better access to the necessary infrastructure than others. This is where the Stevens Road Property stands out. The DSL land is ideally situated because it has the essential off-site sewer and transportation infrastructure in place to allow development of the property quickly.
The City’s Comprehensive Plan policies has planned the Stevens Road property as a complete community with a mix of uses. The property is planned to contain a mix of single family, multi-family, public facilities, commercial and industrial lands. Specific to housing, the land is planned for 11% single family attached housing and at least 41% multifamily and duplex/triplex housing types, which is about 1,000 desperately needed housing units.
The Bend City Council is especially sensitive to our current housing shortage, which spans across the spectrum of home types – from affordable to work force to higher-end market rate housing. Any efforts to get land developed for a mix of housing is key to providing a solution to those needs and the DSL land provides a great opportunity for a mix of housing needed in Bend.
Please consider this letter as a friendly request to expedite DSL’s efforts to see that the 225 acres is developed in concert with Bend’s Comprehensive Plan polices. Further, be assured that our city staff is available to discuss options with your staff to best prepare
the property for its eventual development. As the fastest growing city in Oregon, DSL’s help in providing land for residential, institutional, and employment purposes will greatly benefit current & future Bend residents as well as the state’s Common School Fund.
Thank you for your assistance. Please contact our City Manager, Eric King with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Mayor Casey Roats
on behalf of the Bend City Council

Redmond Sees Jump In Car Theft Cases

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond Police have seen a spike in reports of stolen cars, this month. One vehicle taken from Redmond earlier this week was recovered with two suspects asleep inside. Redmond Police Lt. Curtis Chambers says they’ve handled six cases already this month, "Five of which were stolen, one was recovered for another agency. That’s significant because we’re only halfway through the month where, on average, for the last 3.5 years, we’ve been at 6.5 stolen vehicles every month."


While it’s difficult to point to an exact reason behind the increase, Lt. Chambers says most are crimes of opportunity, likely involving unlocked vehicles, "Most individuals who are out stealing cars don’t want to chance breaking a window or taking the time it takes to wire up a car or use some other means, other than a key, to start the vehicle. Very few individuals are out targeting or trafficking stolen vehicles." The good news, he says, is that - unlike in the movies - many are eventually recovered with little or no damage, "Very rarely do we come across a stripped, burned out stolen vehicle; that does not happen very often." That's because many car thieves are either trying to get to another town, which leads to their recovery in other jurisdictions, or they want a joy-ride; in many cases, those vehicles are found disabled on the outskirts of town. 

 

The bad news, according to Lt. Chambers, is that stopping repeat offenders is now more difficult. In 2014, an Appeals Court ruled that prosecutors must prove a suspect knew they were driving a stolen car. Chambers tells KBND News that makes it tough to earn a conviction for "Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle" without a confession, "If we can’t hold people accountable for a felony level crime and see them be convicted, ultimately, it becomes more and more difficult to get them to change their ways or force them to change their ways." The state Legislature considered a fix during the last session but it never made it to a vote. Chambers is hopeful it will pass in 2019.

Culver Mayoral Candidates Try to Reach Voters

CULVER, OR -- Voters in Central Oregon's smallest incorporated city have a big choice to make in November. Two candidates are running for Mayor; an incumbent with years of experience or a concerned citizen new to politics. The Jefferson County town is home to fewer than 1,500 residents. 

 

Mayor Nancy Diaz says she wants to finish what she started. She joined the City Council in 2009 and was elected Mayor in 2014. "There's things that Culver City Council has been working on, that I'd like to see through, says Diaz, "When I came on board, we were working on the storm water issue. I want to be able to, at least, finish that."


But challenger Ginger Gann says citizens aren't being properly represented, "It's what the people of Culver say. And that's one of the things that's been on the back burner for a couple of years." Gann tells KBND News, "I never expected to get into politics in my entire life, before this. This is one of those deals where I want the people heard."

 

In Central Oregon, La Pine, Bend and Redmond also have contested Mayoral races. Click HERE to learn more about the candidates. 

Councilor Boddie Censured By Full Council

BEND, OR -- Bend City Councilor Nathan Boddie has been officially sanctioned by his peers. Councilor Barb Campbell read a statement at Wednesday night’s meeting saying Boddie’s recent conduct on social media violates several Council rules, including maintaining the highest standard of ethical conduct. 


The move to censure came after Boddie - currently running for Bend's state House seat - posted a statement to Facebook in defense of sexual misconduct allegations leveled against him. He reportedly then blocked some people and deleted their negative comments. 


Campbell acknowledged the post was made on Boddie’s personal account, but she says because it’s frequently used to address city business, he can’t restrict public access. Councilors first discussed censure in July. But, at that time, they determined the allegations alone did not violate Council rules. Wednesday's motion was unanimously approved by the five other Councilors present: Campbell, Sally Russell, Bill Moseley, Bruce Abernethy and Justin Livingston. Mayor Casey Roats did not attend the meeting. 

 

Full text of the Censure Motion:

The City Council believes that it should support and foster an atmosphere that is welcoming, non-discriminatory, respectful and non-sexist, and open to all viewpoints regardless of whether or not we agree. As local leaders, city councilors are expected to model the types of communication and civic engagement we wish to encourage in our community.  In responding via Facebook posts in an aggressive and personally attacking manner to a complaint of sexual harassment by a female community member who regularly appears before this body, and allegedly engaging in viewpoint discrimination by blocking people or deleting posts on his personal website used, in part, to address City issues and Council business, Councilor Nathan Boddie crossed a line. Setting aside the merits of the past claim which is not before this body, the decision to respond as he did was his current choice to make.

 

Therefore, the City Council believes that Councilor Nathan Boddie violated the following Council Rules: Council members shall maintain the highest standard of ethical conduct and assurance of fair and equal treatment of all persons coming before council (Rule 1.040);  Council members shall conduct themselves so as to bring credit upon the government by respecting the rule of law (Rule (1.050); Council members will not deny access to social media used in an official capacity to any individual based in whole or in part on content or viewpoint (Rule 2.105).  These rules are all intended to hold Councilors accountable to each other and to the community we serve.  This action is taken under Rule 2.110 to protect the integrity of Council and discipline the member with a public reprimand.  It is not done lightly, but we believe it is important to express the Council’s view of an unacceptable response to a difficult issue and its desire to set a higher standard in Bend.

Bend Garage Destroyed, Home Spared

BEND, OR -- A Wednesday afternoon fire in southwest Bend caused about $170,000 in damage, but the home was spared.

 
The blaze broke out in an attached garage on Mount Hope Lane, at about 12:25 p.m. It destroyed two cars parked in front of the garage, but officials say the drywall between the garage and main house can resist fire for an hour and was key to keeping flames from spreading. 


Two people and their pets escaped unharmed; the cause of the fire was undetermined. 

Suspect Arrested After Stand-Off With Bend PD

BEND, OR -- A suspect is in custody following a several hours-long stand-off in a southeast Bend mobile home park. Officers initially responded to the home on SE Brosterhous at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, for a reported roommate dispute. 


They say the man – later identified as 37-year-old Tyler Scott – broke a window throwing things; at one point he came outside and threw a hammer at a police Lieutenant, narrowly missing the officer. Scott then quickly retreated to the home and refused to come out. Police helped a woman get out safely, and another man came out on his own.


Negotiators spent several hours trying to deescalate the situation, but Scott refused commands until the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT) sent chemical agents into the house. He was taken into police custody and went to the hospital for evaluation. Scott is accused of Menacing, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Attempted Assault of a Public Safety Officer and Attempted Assault II. 

 

Photo: Google Earth

Mounting Lunch Debt Weighs On Crook Co. Schools

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Crook County School District is struggling to recoup $41,000 in unpaid lunch debt, accrued by 681 students. Finance Director Anna Logan says the district has warned parents they could be sent to collections, but so far, that's a threat with no teeth. She hopes there's another way to get the debt paid, "In talking with the collections representative, I just didn't realize the impact it would have on families as far as they will have their wages garnished, potentially, they'll have court costs, there are a lot of impacts that can happen."

 

Schools aren't allowed to tell the student there's no money in their account because of House Bill 3454, known as the "Anti Lunch-Shaming" law, passed last year by the Legislature. They can only talk with parents. And, Logan says, the debt continues to grow, "Some people just aren't going to pay their bills. It's a sad reality and it's not something I can fix. it's just the way it is."

 

It's a sticky situation, she says, because HB-3454 created unintended consequences, "Really, what happens is, revenue goes down if the money doesn't come in. So, when people don't pay, we have less money to work with. And, over time, we do have to start considering, 'what do we cut'?" She tells KBND News, "What it comes down to is, we're here to serve the student, and we don't want to inflict any emotional harm on students. On the flip side, we still have costs and we need to cover those costs."


Logan hopes the lack of funds won't result in a decrease of food quality or a reduction in staffing, "It's just a really hard situation to be in. We're not facing that today, but it's a potential that we could face it in the future." She adds, "We're going to have to revisit it because our balances keep growing; and if there's absolutely no recourse other than collections, that may have to be the direction that we go."

Mirror Pond Low, Dam Repairs Planned

BEND, OR -- The water level of Mirror Pond, in downtown Bend, is a couple of feet lower than it should be. 

 

Tom Gaunt, with Pacific Power, says an employee discovered a problem with a wooden panel inside the 100-year-old dam that helps form Mirror Pond, "A special little passage area – a gate – to allow ice and other things to pass through. It was sealed up 25 years ago, and after the passage of time and the river, more water was going through it; it had developed a leak." He tells KBND News, "The fix, which we have done all along the face of the dam over the past several years, is to insert some sheets of metal right up against the dam, so that it basically keeps any water from flowing through. And, obviously, it’s a lot more resilient than the wood that had been there. And, that’s going to take a little while to get going." Similar work was done in 2008, 2009 and 2014 after other small leaks were discovered. 

 

PacifiCorps is working now to secure the proper permits for the job, which includes bringing in a crane to install those steel "sheet piles." Gaunt says it must be done, "You wouldn’t be able to regulate the real level of the dam, which is essential for Mirror Pond, and the reason the dam is there is to generate hydro-power." He says power generation would be impacted if the water level continues to drop, "It’s been about two feet below the level of normal; maybe four free, depending upon how things come and go." 

 

He expects the work to begin in early November and last about four weeks. The dam is located near the Newport Ave. bridge. 

 

File Photo

DeBone, Lowes Discuss Campaigns

BEND, OR -- Candidates for Deschutes County Commissioner, Position One appeared together Tuesday to discuss the big issues and their campaigns, with KBND News. Incumbent Republican Tony DeBone is running for re-election; he's served on the Board of County Commissioners since 2011. His challenger, Democrat Amy Lowes, is a political newcomer.

 

With pot measures on the Culver and Sisters ballot, this November, Marijuana is again a disputed issue among local candidates. DeBone says he's proud of the way he and his fellow Commissioners have re-evaluated county code, "I do support basically the package we’re finishing deliberating right now, so we did do that recently. We removed the MUA10-Multiple Use Agriculture 10 – zone from the opportunity and we changed some set-backs. So, there’s some changes and it is a little bit more restrictive." However, Lowes believes the county should wait to impose more restrictions, to see how legal operations work through the existing process. "A lot of the complaints that the Commissioners are currently hearing are actually complaints about illegal grow operations."


The success of a politician can often come down to "who you know." But, Lowes says it's time for new relationships to move the county forward, "The way that our government was set up to work was that one person doesn’t stay in one position too long. So, there tend be relationships that get built over time when people are actually serving each other’s interests rather than serving the interest of the people." DeBone believes his local, state and federal relationships benefit the county, "I was on the Park and Recreation District Board in La Pine and I had the relationships around Sisters, Redmond and Bend from that. That is exactly where I started, was those low-level community relationships county-wide."

 

With still nearly three weeks until the election, we already know the make-up of Deschutes County's Board of Commissioners will change, since long-time Commissioner Tammy Baney lost her Position Three primary in May. KBND News asked DeBone and Lowes whether they would get along with the full board, regardless of who wins. DeBone replied, "Absolutely; I’m currently a Commissioner. I’ve worked with a few now, but my style is ‘let’s get it done'." And, Lowes said, "I absolutely do as well. We’ve been asked multiple times if we think this should be a partisan role. I do not think that this should be a partisan role. I think we need to sit at the table, work collaboratively with each other and compromise in order to keep moving forward." To hear our full conversation with DeBone and Lowes, visit our Podcast Page


Position Three candidates Republican Patti Adair and Democrat James Cook will join KBND News together, next Monday. And, DeBone, Lowes, Adair and Cook will participate in a candidate forum hosted by the Sunriver Chamber of Commerce, Thursday morning. Click HERE for event details. 

COCC Rethinks Fate of Student-Run Newspaper

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon Community College student-run newspaper put out its last edition in early June; or so everyone thought. President Shirley Metcalf shut down The Broadside based on the findings of a task force, which showed student readership and involvement were down, making the program no longer cost effective.


She's now asked Director of Student and Campus Life Andrew Davis to lead a workgroup to take another look. He tells KBND News, "We'd like to reconsider this decision; take a closer look - or maybe a second look, if you will, to see if there are other options, maybe other methods that we could institute in order to help The Broadside restart and be functional moving forward." He believes the paper teaches students skills they'll need whether they go into journalism or not, "Hard and soft skills, showing up on time, listening to the direction of the supervisor, also being able to be free thinking, and figure out how to problem solve on their own."

 

Davis says the group will ask questions to get the big picture, "Is there a way to more closely align it with instructional courses that would be training students to work at The Broadside?" And, "Is there a way to structure this that would make it appeal to students? What's the feasibility of that? How could we implement it and then, how could we evaluate it?"


The task force will begin meeting next week, and Davis hopes they'll have options for COCC's Board of Directors to consider by the middle of winter term.

Suspected Car Thieves Caught Napping In Stolen Car

BEND, OR -- Two alleged thieves were found napping inside a stolen car, just outside Bend, Tuesday.

 
Just before 11 a.m., a witness reported a suspicious car parked near Highway 97 and Suzanne Lane. When Deputies arrived, they ran the plates and determined the Cadillac Escalade had been reported stolen from Redmond on Monday; while checking the car, they discovered two people sleeping inside. 


Deputies performed a high-risk traffic stop and ordered 18-year-old Autumn Blundell, of Redmond, and 21-year-old Shawn Ison, of Crooked River Ranch, out of the car. Both complied and were arrested without incident. They're charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle.

 

Redmond Police say the the Escalade was the fifth vehicle stolen this month. Coincidentally, RPD recovered a stolen VW Beetle in southwest Redmond, Tuesday, that had been reported stolen from the county on Sunday. 

Flows Reduced at Bowman Dam

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Bureau of Reclamation is releasing less water from Bowman Dam, due to conditions at Prineville Reservoir. Federal officials say reducing fish and wildlife winter flows from 65 to 50 cubic feet per second means less available Chinook and steelhead habitat. But, they believe it’s a necessary step to conserve water for the future. 

 

The decision was made last week with coordination from the US Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries, based on dry conditions experienced in recent months, which are expected to continue. 

 

Arthur R. Bowman Dam is on the Crooked River, about 20 miles southeast of Prineville. 

 

File Photo

Buehler Pleased With Campaign For Governor

BEND, OR -- The race for Oregon's next Governor continues to heat up, with the most recent polls showing incumbent Kate Brown neck-and-neck with her challenger, Bend State Representative Knute Buehler. Buehler is pleased with his campaign's progress, "All the polls the last two months - eight weeks or so - have been always within the margin of error. Sometimes we're a little bit up, sometimes we're a little bit behind." He adds, "Over the weekend, we got a big endorsement from the Oregonian." He calls that decision by the Oregonian's editorial board to endorse him over a seated governor "unprecedented," and tells KBND News, "There is strong desire for change all across the state."

 

Dr. Buehler says, in the last three weeks of the campaign, it's coming down to specific issues for voters. Issues like vaccines. In a recent televised debate, Buehler said parents should have more latitude to exempt kids from vaccines. He says his view comes from his training as a physician, "I think people should get vaccines; they should get their kids vaccinated. But, I do not think that it's the role of government to force parents to vaccinate their kids." At the debate, Governor Brown said some parents are given too much leeway; and, according to OregonLive, three medical organizations want Buehler to retract his statement. But, he says he's firm in his opinion, "For me, it's never a good idea for the government to force people to do something. That's not the role of government, especially if you're forcing parents to do something to their kids that they don't agree with. That's not a sound policy." Current Oregon law allows parents to exempt their children from any or all vaccines.

 

He says Oregon hasn't seen a Governor's race this close in a long time and says his message of collaboration resonates with voters, "I just have a lot of people who are Independents and even Democrats saying, 'You know, I've never voted for a Republican before, but I'm going to vote for you'."


Ballots will be mailed Wednesday and should start arriving in mailboxes on Friday. 

M.E. Releases Report On Death of Sara Gomez

BEND, OR -- More than four months after Sara Gomez’s body was found 20 miles east of Bend, the state Medical Examiner says her cause of death could not be determined. But, her manner of death was homicide. 


The 24-year-old woman's body was discovered in late May, wrapped in a tarp, comforter, blanket, foam mattress and an inflatable raft – secured by duct tape. The M.E. noted her body was in an advanced state of decomposition, which the Deschutes County District Attorney says reaffirms his belief that Gomez was killed by her ex-boyfriend in February. Bryan Penner was last seen with Gomez February 18; he was arrested four days later. Penner committed suicide while in custody in March. 

 

D.A. John Hummel issued a statement Monday, saying, "The Medical Examiner's report brings this matter to a close for law enforcement: there is no doubt that Bryan Penner killed Sara Gomez. Of course, the closure of this case by law enforcement does not bring closure to Sara's family. They will live every day with the memory of the strong, smart and beloved member of their family who was taken from them. I hope they take some solace in knowing that Sara's spirit will live on in this community long after Bryan Penner is but a distant memory."

Nurses Rally Support For Redmond Birthing Center

REDMOND, OR -- More than 50 people packed into a meeting room at the Redmond Library, Monday night, to discuss a proposal by St. Charles Health System to close the Family Birthing Center (FBC) at its Redmond Hospital. The Oregon Nurses Association hosted the event, providing a petition in support of the department and handing out flyers encouraging people to contact St. Charles President Joe Sluka and ask him to save the FBC. 

 

St. Charles Chief Operating Officer Iman Simmons tells KBND News they're looking at several options that would lower costs for patients. But Kelly Telfer, a Labor and Delivery nurse in Redmond for five years, doesn’t believe it will save money, "If you go to the Redmond ER and you’re in labor, they’re going to call an ambulance and you’re going to get transported in an ambulance to Bend, and then have that additional expense." Telfer delivered all three of her babies at the Redmond hospital and is now pregnant with her fourth. She worries about the increased danger of forcing expectant mothers to drive to Bend or Madras, "The risk for having a baby in the car or the back of an ambulance, or delivering at home, increases exponentially the farther you have to drive, of course. And, the more babies you have, the more likely you are to have faster labors and deliver in a situation that isn’t ideal to deliver a baby in, which is what we want to try and prevent."

 

Nurse Amber Loredo has worked at the Redmond FBC for seven years. She also worries about the increased travel time, "If it is closed and then taken to Bend, there will be patients, like myself – I live in Culver, who would never make it to Bend; which then could put mom and baby at risk." She acknowledges the Madras hospital is an option, but says many Jefferson County moms choose to deliver in Redmond because of its excellent reputation. Telfer agrees the Madras birthing center provides good care, but it has struggled in recent years, including closing for six months in 2015, due to a nursing shortage. "I think that it’s going to take a significant investment to develop the Labor and Delivery program in Madras and get it back on its feet again," says Telfer.  

 

Many of the nurses who spoke at Monday night's event talked about the unique care they provide patients. Loredo tells KBND News they're able to offer moms more options than the hospitals in Bend and Madras, "They do not have nurse midwives currently in Bend. They did have them when I was actually going to nursing school. But, shortly after that – I’m not sure what the logistics were – but, all the nurse midwives left St. Charles Bend." She says many expectant mothers seek out the Redmond hospital because of the complimentary partnership between the nurse midwives in the area and St. Charles OB/GYNs. She has heard talk the Bend FBC would reopen to midwives, but that hasn't been determined. 

 

Both Telfer and Loredo say they're also worried about their co-workers, and the team atmosphere they enjoy at the Redmond hospital. St. Charles officials say if they approve consolidation, no jobs will be lost. But, the nurses say there aren't enough Labor and Delivery positions in Bend and Madras to absorb the 29 Registered Nurses currently working at Redmond's Family Birthing Center. They believe that means nurses will be asked to shift to other departments, for which they aren't trained. 

 

St. Charles' Iman Simmons tells KBND News a final decision isn't expected until the end of the year and, if the Redmond center closes, it wouldn't shutter for months after that. However, the Oregon Nurses Association says a "private vote" on the issue is expected Wednesday. Lisa Goodman, with St. Charles Health System, says the Executive Team will meet Wednesday to decide which option to recommend to the Board of Directors. But, she says, the final decision can only come from a vote of the full board, which is expected at a later time. 

 

Photos: (top) courtesy Deena Fitzpatrick. (upper right) Nurses recount their own birth experience, and what it's like to work at the Redmond Family Birthing Center. 

More Prescribed Burns Planned for the Area

LA PINE, OR -- More prescribed burns are planned for Central Oregon, this week. If conditions allow, the Deschutes National Forest will ignite 300 acres Monday, and another 743 acres on Tuesday, near Hole in the Ground, 22 miles southeast of La Pine. The operations will cause smoke that may be visible from the Fort Rock area. 

 

Also Tuesday, the Ochoco National Forest expects to burn the 409-acre "Lunch 1" unit, east of the Highway 26-Country Road 23 junction, two miles up Duncan Creek Road. Fire crews plan to burn the "slash" leftover from a thinning operation. 

 

Later this week, crews plan to ignite the "Canyon 20" unit, which is 371 acres, a half mile west of Walton Lake. That operation will likely occur Thursday. 

 

All operations are weather permitting.

Pilot Pgm. Addresses Construction Worker Shortage

BEND, OR -- Several local builders are now working with Central Oregon Community College to develop a construction training program. Kirby Nagelhout Construction President Jeff Deswert says it’s necessary to address the shortage of qualified workers, "Coming out of the recession, the problem has just grown and so we’re all faced with it industry-wide." His is one of several companies now working with COCC and Continuing Education Program Manager Rachel Knox. She tells KBND News, "Really what we’re seeing is, employers coming to us and saying ‘we really want your help and we want to help you deliver the education that’s going to be the most relevant for our industry’."

 

The first class began earlier this month. Knox says they're starting with basic skills, "It includes everything from how to read a tape measure to how to actually show up on time for a job and be a really good worker." Deswert adds, "We’re saying that this is more of an apprenticeship program-leaning thing; although, that’s not the term we’re using for it. But, it’s a variation to going to traditional college." He says it's important to appeal to people who might not think they're able to attend traditional college, or who just aren't interested in spending a lot of time in the classroom. The new program is capped at 14 students so everyone gets hands-on opportunities, although Knox hopes it will eventually expand, "What we’re hoping to do is provide a higher bar for the employers so that when they’re hiring, they can say, ‘Yeah, we do want someone who we don’t have to spend as much time and money doing on the job training’."

 

Deswert says he never imagined he would be a college instructor. But, "Two weeks into it, it’s absolutely a blast," he says, "It’s much harder than you would imagine." SunWest Builders owner Steve Buettner is also teaching courses in the pilot program, and Knox says Griffin Construction, Hayden Homes and other local builders are involved, as well. 

Culver Voters To Decide Marijuana Measure

CULVER, OR -- Culver voters will decide in November, whether to lift the ban on marijuana dispensaries inside city limits. The City Council supports continuing the current moratorium on pot businesses, as does Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins. But, Mayor Nancy Diaz says, "It's totally up to the voters."

 

However, even if voters do agree allowing the industry into the city, Mayor Diaz says, "Someone would have to find a place where it would fit, and off the top of my head and without a map in front of me, I can't think of a place."  That's because there is only roughly one square mile for the small city to work with, and state regulations prohibit pot shops in certain areas, "In order to put a dispensary in Culver, and nothing in the residential area, is going to be very difficult to find a place that one will fit." And, there's the issue of schools, "We have the school district inside the city limits, and as you know, there can be nothing within, I believe, it's 1,000' of a school."
 

A "yes" vote on Measure 16-90 would keep pot businesses out of Culver. A "no" vote would lift the current ban and allow them to open in areas permitted by state law. Mayor Diaz tells KBND News, "If [voters] say, 'Let's have pot in Culver,' then that's going to happen, if someone can find a spot where it will fit. If they say, 'No, we don't want it,' then that's what's going to happen."

 

Culver is one of two local cities to consider lifting its ban on legal pot businesses. Sisters voters will decide a similar issue. For more coverage of the November election, click HERE

Investigation Continues Into Deputy-Involved Shooting

TUMALO, OR -- The Deschutes County District Attorney has released some details of Friday's deputy-involved shooting, north of Bend, which sent a suspect to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

 

D.A. John Hummel says Three deputies and two recruits in training arrived at the property at about 10:45 a.m., "Deschutes County Deputies went to the Funny Farm, located between Bend and Redmond. They were there to serve a warrant on a suspect; they had a felony arrest warrant for a parole violation." That suspect, 33-year-old Brandon Berrett was reportedly staying with his father. Hummel says when deputies contacted Berrett, he tried to flee, "He hopped in his car and attempted to flee. An officer fired his service revolver, and struck the suspect twice. The suspect was immediately rushed to St. Charles Hospital." Deputy Chris Jones was later identified as the deputy who shot Berrett. He has 17 years of law enforcement experience and has worked for DCSO since 2007. Hummel says Dep. Jones is a trained instructor of defensive tactics, use of a taser and use of force. 

 

A Bend Police forensic drone was deployed during the ongoing investigation, "We're fortunate that the surface area where this happened was dirt, but it was soft dirt, so there's lots of footprints," Hummel tells KBND News, "That helps the forensic team determine where everyone was standing at the relevant time. So we've taken the shoes from everyone who was there, every witness, every deputy, and then we can compare those to the marks on the ground; so that's going to be very helpful." He adds, "Numerous people were there and either saw or heard something, so I'm confident that we'll be able to figure out exactly what the facts were. And then at that point, once I know the facts, I'll conduct a legal analysis and make a decision."

 

The Tri-County Major Incident Team is conducting the investigation, led by State Police and in cooperation with the D.A.'s office. 

Suspected DUII Driver Crashes Into Canal

REDMOND, OR -- A 34-year-old Redmond man was arrested fro drunk driving, Saturday night, after he crashed his pickup into a canal. Officers first saw the pickup on a section of Southwest Canal Boulevard currently closed for construction. 


The driver sped away from police but the pickup was found a few minutes later, after it crashed into the nearby COID canal.  When officers approached, they say the Anthony Castaneda was still trying to drive the truck, despite being partially submerged in the water. 


Firefighters conducted a water rescue and pulled out the driver; it took several more hours to safely remove the pickup. Castaneda was evaluated by medics prior to going to jail.  

Suspect Shot by Deputy North of Bend

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office says a suspect was shot by a Deputy, Friday morning, but is expected to survive. Authorities say Deputies were at a home near Pleasant Ridge Drive, between Bend and Redmond, to locate and arrest a suspect on an outstanding felony warrant. The suspect was shot just before 10:45 a.m. and was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The Deputy involved was not hurt.

 

The Tri-County Major Incident Team is investigating, led by Oregon State Police. The northbound onramp to Highway 97, east of the highway remains closed due to the high number of emergency vehicles and drivers are asked to continue to avoid the area.

 

DCSO says further details will be released by the Deschutes County District Attorney's office, in coordination with OSP. 

Tribal Council To Purchase Burns Armory

BURNS, OR -- The Burns Paiute Tribal Council is set to purchase the Oregon Army National Guard Armory in Burns, as part of a $250,000 agreement with the Oregon Military Department. The tribe plans to turn the property on Fairview Ave. into a community wellness center. 

 

The Burns Armory has been vacant since 2013. According to the Military Department, "At that time, there were only eight Oregon Army National Guard soldiers living in Burns assigned to a 21-person engineer unit." The other soldiers in the unit lived in and around Bend. A year prior, the unit began training at the Bend Armory. 

 

The Legislature approved the sale of the Burns Armory in 2017. The tribe will pay $225,000 up front, and then $5,000 each year for five years. 

Neighborhood Coalition Hosts Bend Candidate Forum

BEND, OR -- The Bend Neighborhood Coalition will host a forum for Bend's Mayoral and City Council candidates, this weekend. Steering Committee chair Bill Bernardy says every available candidate will be there, "This is the only forum that will focus specifically on the topic of livability. In fact the Theme, if you will, of the forum is posed in the form of a question, and that is: Will Bend Stay Livable As It Grows?" He says the City has grown about 20%  in the last dozen years, and is expected to grow by another third in the next dozen, "A lot of the policies in Bend date to a time when there were literally only about 20,000 people in town, and as the city grows, we think it needs to grow up." Bernardy tells KBND News, "Our position has been that growth and livability are not incompatible,"

 

Running for Mayor are Councilors Bill Moseley and Sally Russell, local activist Brian Douglass, creator of Global Internet Government Charles Baer, photojournalist Joshua Langlais, and attorney and hemp farmer Michael Hughes. City Council Position Five candidates are Andrew Davis, Gena Goodman-Campbell, and Victor Johnson. And, Position Six candidates are lone incumbent Councilor Barb Campbell, Sarah McCormick and Ron Boozell, who won't attend because he's currently incarcerated. Bernardy expects everyone else to attend Sunday's forum, "We're planning to do two panels because there are so many people. The first hour, we'll put questions to the candidates for Mayor; there are six of them. And the second hour, we'll talk with the candidates for City Council." There will also be time before and after the debate for a "meet and greet" with the candidates. The only way to keep Bend Livable as it grows, Bernardy says, is to review the policies that affect how residents interact with one another, "We think if you care about the town and what it's going to be like going forward, voting for City Council is a good opportunity to have a say."

 

Sunday's forum starts at 3 p.m. at COCC's Wille Hall. It's free and open to the public. Click HERE for more information. For details of each candidate, visit KBND's Elections 2018 page. 

OSU-Cascades Hosts Discovery Day

BEND, OR -- OSU-Cascades invites the community to check out the Bend campus during its first every Discovery Day. Vice President Becky Johnson hopes to make it an annual event. "We are inviting the Community on to our campus to see what kind of research our faculty are doing, so there will be talks, there will be activities for kids, there'll be music, there'll be food, and just a chance to actually see the campus."


She says it's a fun opportunity to see how today's college student lives, "Maybe you've never seen what a modern residence Hall room looks like, or eat in our dining hall, and just experience the campus." She tells KBND News it all starts at 10 a.m., Saturday, "I think it's okay to just show up, but probably wouldn't hurt to go check out the webpage, and see what's up." Click HERE for full details.

Redmond Candidates Spar In Debate

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond candidates for City Council and Mayor met in a public forum, Thursday, hosted by the Central Oregon Association of Realtors. The six candidates discussed topics like growth, jobs, marijuana and affordable housing.


Incumbent Mayor George Endicott is pleased with the city’s application for a pilot program that could bring more than 480 housing units, if approved by the state. "It’s a 40-acre plot that’s out there on the northeast side of town; which, not only would be a piece of land that’s going to be 50% affordable housing and 50% market rate, it’s destined to be an incubator for the rest of the northeast part Redmond to develop." But, his challenger, attorney and former Mayor Ed Fitch, says the location isn’t right, "You put low income people way down on the northeast side, there’s going to be a problem. How are they going to get around?" He’d prefer to see more development closer to downtown, including improved sidewalks and more apartments.  

 

The four candidates for City Council were asked what sets them apart from the competition. Incumbent Jay Patrick says his 20 years on Council have provided valuable experience, "I have been president of the Council quite often, so I can work with other people." Political newcomer Josefina Riggs believes her diverse background is an asset, while Councilor Jon Bullock says, as Director of Redmond Proficiency Academy, he’s the only one who has managed large, complex organizations. Krisanna Clark-Endicott believes her experience as a Sherwood City Councilor and Mayor will benefit Redmond; although, she confused her cities when presenting some of her ideas, "I’d like to bring a community garden to the city of Sherwood," she went on to say, "It’s a great way for us to be in community with each other."

 

Under current city ordinance, marijuana businesses are not allowed inside city limits. During Thursday's forum, Fitch stated the city has lost "approximately $60-$80,000 in revenue because of that decision," prompting KBND News to ask all six candidates to clarify their stance on allowing recreational and/or medical marijuana businesses. All would support sending the issue back to Redmond voters, but most are also concerned about future ramifications. Councilor Bullock said the city risks losing federal funding, "Particularly for the airport." That concern was shared by Councilor Patrick. However Fitch doesn’t believe it endangers federal money, "Portland has it, Salem has it, Eugene has it, Bend has it; not one of them have any issue with federal funding. I don’t use it, but I think it should be a choice. And, I do believe that that revenue will help with the police department." Mayor Endicott would rather the federal government regulate medical marijuana like a pharmaceutical, so dispensaries could be done away with; but he believes recreational pot puts the community at risk. His wife, Clark-Endicott added, "I think that it’s not only the actual financial cost, but also the cost with the exposure of recreational marijuana to our children."

 

For more coverage of the November mid-terms, visit our Elections 2018 page.

 

Top Photo: (l-r) Mayor George Endicott, Councilor Jay Patrick, Krisanna Clark-Endicott, Councilor Jon Bullock, Josefina Riggs, Ed Fitch

HSCO, Bend Spay+Neuter Project To Merge

BEND, OR -- Two local animal welfare non-profits are joining forces. The Bend Spay+Neuter Project will become a program of the Humane Society of Central Oregon, under a new agreement announced Thursday.


Bend Spay+Neuter Board Member Marie Melsheimer tells KBND News, "It’s really the perfect partnership for us. We’ve had a very long term relationship with the Humane Society for many years. And, it helps to consolidate animal welfare services in our community and stabilize some of the programs that we offer." She says that stability is key to the organization's work, "We’ve had an interim Executive Director; no permanent Executive Director, we don’t have a Medical Director, right now. And so, just in order to keep providing our services to the community and low-cost spay and neuter and wellness for animals and their people, this just helps to stabilize our services for the future."

 

Melsheimer says there are no plans to change services, "Everything’s going to remain the same; we’ll still be operating out of our same location at the clinic, and we’ll just be a program underneath the Humane Society umbrella. With this merger, we are able to access all the resources from the Humane Society. It really creates this one bigger organization where people can come for all their needs, when it comes to their pets."


In a statement, HSCO officials agree low-cost animal care services, including spay and neuter surgeries, vaccines and wellness exams will continue at the current clinic on Wilson Avenue. And, "HSCO plans to continue other programs, such as specialty clinics in outlying communities," and they're exploring ways to merge the two organizations' pet food banks. 

Father, Son Suspected in Redmond Burglary

REDMOND, OR -- A Terrebonne man and his 32-year old son were arrested this week, in connection with a September burglary in Redmond. The Sheriff’s Office says there were initially no leads after the home break-in on Northwest Coyner; thieves took guns, ammunition, tools and credit cards. But, after the victim’s bank called to say the card was used at a local business, surveillance footage led detectives to Nathan Winningham. 

 

The Street Crimes Unit conducted surveillance and obtained a search warrant for the Terrebonne home Winningham shares with his 55-year-old father, Melvin Winningham. Detectives found several stolen firearms, ammunition and paperwork for the burglarized home, along with drugs. The elder Winningham was arrested Monday. He faces several charges, including being a felon in possession of a firearm and meth possession. 

 

The younger Winningham was taken into custody the following day, after a K-9 deputy found him hiding in a bathroom in a northeast Redmond home he was known to frequent. He's charged with burglary, theft, identity theft, fraudulent use of a credit card and violating his probation.

Jefferson Co. Fire Cautions Against Open Burns

MADRAS, OR -- Jefferson County fire crews responded to two small grass fires, Thursday; and officials say they started with residential open burns that blew out of control in the wind. 


The first occurred just after 1 p.m. in Willow Creek Canyon, northwest of Madras. It was contained at about 1.5 acres. The second was about two hours later on Rocky Lane (pictured), northeast of Lake Billy Chinook. Crews stopped it at about an acre. 


Despite cooler temperatures and the official end of fire season, local fire officials say fuels are still very dry and the chance of a fire escaping is still high. 

CRR Voters To Decide Fire Levy

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, OR -- Crooked River Ranch voters will decide in November whether to spend 20 more cents per thousand dollars of assessed value to continue funding the fire district. "It's for staffing, and maintenance of equipment, and facilities. It also helps fund our capital improvements." Fire Chief Harry Ward tells KBND News, "There's been a perception that it's all about our staff, and because of PERS and other things went up. "That's a small part of it."


Ward says the district needs up-to-date, working equipment, "We need to have stuff that we can rely on, especially in those situations where somebody's life may depend on the equipment that we have." He says they'll need to replace one of its ambulances in the next 12 to 18 months. "Our current one is almost 10 years old and has almost 100,000 miles on it. With our replacement plan, we want to replace those every so often, so we always have a back up."

 

He admits people who don't call the ambulance very often may not think about what the district does with their tax dollars, "Sooner or later, I think all of us has had to call an ambulance or call for the fire department or the police department; and those services are here and I think we do a great job."

 

CRR property owners currently pay a permanent tax rate of $1.83 per $1,000 of assessed value. The current levy due to expire in June of 2019, adds $.69 per $1,000. The 2018 measure would replace that with an $.89 levy for another five years, creating a new total tax rate of $2.72 per $1,000 of assessed property value.  "It's so we can provide the best services that we can. We're going to run more calls this year, probably, than we ever have." 

 

For more on the measures included on the November ballot, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

Redmond City Councilor Takes On First Campaign

REDMOND, OR -- One candidate for Redmond’s City Council is an incumbent running his first campaign. Dr. Jon Bullock is the Director of Redmond Proficiency Academy, one of the state's largest charter schools. He was appointed to Council last November to complete Anne Graham’s term, following her resignation.

 

Bullock says he’s proud of what he’s accomplished in less than a year, "When I was appointed to City Council, the city was in the midst of a discussion about how to fund officers. We went into the budget process and what I was able to do is ask staff, as well as the budget committee, what their assumptions were relative to the funding and the expenditures. And, in that process, engage folks in a discussion that allowed us to add four additional officers through the budget process." He's pleased they were able to find that funding without imposing a new fee or tax.


He says the biggest issues now facing the city are all connected to the area’s rapid growth. "We need to look at the possibility of mass transit; we’ve got to find ways to move people around. We’ve got to look at housing and, while we’ve got to focus on affordable housing, we have to focus on an entire range of housing that is attractive, so Redmond can remain the best place in Oregon for people to live, to work, to raise a family and to retire." 


Bullock is one of four candidates running for three open seats, along with fellow Councilor Jay Patrick, former Sherwood Mayor Krisanna Clark-Endicott and political newcomer Josefina Riggs. They're all expected to take part in a debate, Thursday afternoon, along with Mayor George Endicott and his challenger, Ed Fitch. For Dr. Bullock, this whole process is unique. "I’ve told people that campaigning has been equal parts invigorating and terrifying, and also terrifying and enlightening," he tells KBND News, "I enjoy listening to people, I enjoy talking to people; I’ve made my career out of talking and listening and trying to solve problems. But, campaigning is spending a lot of time and some of your own money to apply for a volunteer position." Thursday's candidate forum starts at 1 p.m. at Geno’s Italian Grill on North Highway 97 in Redmond.  For more on the candidates, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

Local Hotline Launches to Support New Parents

BEND, OR -- A unique support program is now available to Central Oregon's new parents looking for "in the moment" support. Heart to Heart founder Sarah Guilfoy says the idea came to her when she felt isolated staying home with her young son, and sometimes struggling, "It is a support line for parents and they can call, text, or email in with any question at all, and receive support." She says grandparents can call too, because no one knows everything there is to know about parenting. 


"Heart to Heart is a nonprofit, which means it's all totally free," Guilfoy tells KBND News, "And, we are happy to support parents with any sort of questions at all regarding their children birth to five [years], and that's also parents that are not necessarily biological parents; even grandparents can call in. We welcome any and all calls." She wants parents to reach out and understand they're not alone, "It's not so much only advice, but also support and an empathetic listening ear, which is really key because a lot of parents really struggle with feeling just supported." She says it can be especially difficult, with the inevitable exhaustion that comes with parenting, for a mom or dad to feel confident, "I created this program with the idea that there is no really right way. Let's just support each other, let's create a community for each other." She adds, "In parenting, it's an ongoing learning process. We never, ever get used to parenting and think, 'Okay, I've got this one in the bag'."


Heart to Heart has partnered with Healthy Beginnings to offer the service, and Guilfoy is looking for volunteer advisors. All that's needed is experience as a parent, cell service, and three hours per week of availability. For more information or to apply, email Heart to Heart. Learn more about the program HERE

Horses Seized For Neglect Now Adoptable

BEND, OR -- Dozens of horses seized from a Terrebonne property in March are now ready for adoption from the Deschutes County's rescue ranch. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office launched a special website Thursday with photos and biographies of the 40 that are available.

 

Sgt. William Bailey tells KBND News, "Due to the high interest in the horses, we’ll be performing a lottery-type draw system to determine the selection order of prospective adopters. Adoption applications will be accepted through October 19 at 5 p.m. and you can visit our website to download a livestock application." Then, "The week of October 22, we’ll be performing background checks on the applicants. And, on October 26, a lottery draw will determine the order for prospective adopters to select horses from the available horses at the ranch." And, for those not interested in participating in the lottery process, "After November second, any remaining horses that we have available will be open for adoption."


The Sheriff's Office initially seized 83 horses; five had to be euthanized in March. Linda Stream and her daughter Christina Hart pleaded No Contest to animal neglect charges, in September. They now await sentencing. The end of the criminal investigation and prosecution means the remaining 75 animals are no longer considered evidence. Sgt. Bailey says 15 of the horses are headed to an Arabian rescue in California. 

 

Submit completed adoption applications via email or fax them to 541-389-1928. Completed application can also be dropped off during business hours at the main Sheriff’s Office (63333 Highway 20, Bend), or at La Pine and Sisters Substations.

 

Photos: (top) One of the horses now available for adoption.

(upper right) The condition of some of the horses seized in March. 

Two Arrested After Early Morning Chase

BEND, OR -- Two Redmond men were taken into custody, early Thursday morning, after a police chase at speeds over 100 miles per hour. The incident started at about 2:30 a.m. when a Bend Police officer attempted to stop a car for a traffic violation, but the vehicle sped away. Once a Sheriff's Deputy was in position to assist, they began to pursue the vehicle. 

 

The Deputy reports the car was westbound on Knott Road, heading toward Deschutes River Woods, when it hit 90 mph. They continued into Deschutes River Woods at speeds varying between 25 and 65 mph, eventually traveling down Baker Road then to the end of Riverwoods Drive. The vehicle turned around and went back toward Highway 97, at one point avoiding police spike strips near the Deschutes River Woods store. 

 

They continued on Highway 97 at speeds in excess of 105 mph, to just south of Cottonwood Road. That's when additional Deputies and officers from Sunriver Police successfully used spike strips to stop the car. They arrested the driver, 23-year-old Jesus Alvino and 29-year-old Bryan Jayson Escobedo. DCSO says both had outstanding warrants for their arrest. 

Bend Teens Accused In Mini-Mart Burglary

BEND, OR -- Two Bend teens were arrested Wednesday in connection with a convenience store burglary. The US Market at NE 27th and Butler Market Road was broken into late Friday night. Bend Police say surveillance footage showed two males break a window, go inside and take off with merchandise.


A citizen recognized one suspect seen in the video and notified police, Wednesday. That teen was arrested and a search warrant executed, which led to the identity of the second teen and the recovery of the stolen property. 

Voters Pamphlets Hit Mailboxes With Error

BEND, OR -- Voters’ pamphlets will hit mailboxes as early as Thursday, including information on the candidates, state and local measures, and a list of official ballot drop sites. But, County Clerk Nancy Blankenship says an error slipped through the cracks, in the Deschutes County version, despite their best efforts. "We do have one small discrepancy; I’m not sure how it happened, but for the Sunriver drop site, it reflects the May dates." She tells KBND News, "The drop site in Sunriver will open on Wednesday, October 31 – Halloween, so that’s a day to kind of remember. And, will be open 24/7 until 8 p.m. on Election Night."

 

Drop sites in La Pine and southwest Bend also open October 31. Southeast Bend and downtown drop sites, along with those in Redmond and Sisters, open on the 19th. A corrected list of the Deshutes County sites and dates is available HERE. Crook County drop sites can be found HERE. And, a list of Jefferson County locations is available HERE

 

"Next Tuesday, October 16 is the deadline to register to vote if you are not registered in Oregon." Blankenship says new Oregon voters relying on a recent visit to the DMV to get registered through the “Motor Voter” program should consider filling out an online registration card, just in case, because the DMV can take up to three weeks to process. And, she says, once you fill out your ballot, make sure it’s in by 8 p.m. November sixth. "To cover everyone, if you haven’t mailed your ballot by Wednesday, October 31, take it to a drop site and we open more drop sites on that date."

Long-Time Rdm Councilor Says There's More To Do

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond's longest serving City Councilor says he's not done, yet. Jay Patrick is a network administrator for the Education Service District. He's been on Council for 20 years and says it's his way of serving his community. "I've lived in Redmond for most of my life, and I love Redmond. I love the City, I love the people. They treated me great when I was a kid, going to high school and grade school, and this is my way of just giving back to the community." He tells KBND News, "I'm running again because I like to be part of the solution, rather than just sit on the sidelines."

 

Patrick is proud of his accomplishments, so far, "Centennial Park; I think that's been a fantastic deal for the community, for both kids and parents. We had that water park put in, and the sprinklers, and the kids just have a great time. And number two, I would say, would probably be City Hall." Patrick was part of the Council that approved renovations at the historic Evergreen School, which became Redmond's City Hall in early 2017


But, he believes there's still more work to do. Patrick says he's heard recently from citizens frustrated about regulations that are burdening potential business owners. "When somebody starts a business, they don't get only help from the city through Urban Renewal, and that type of thing; but we can find out what the issues are, what issues they're having, and try to help them there. It's mostly in regulations."

 

In addition to Patrick, Jon Bullock, Krisanna Clark-Endicott, and Josefina Riggs are running for three openings on Redmond's City Council. The top three vote-getters will earn a seat. The candidates are expected to take part in a forum, Thursday, hosted by the Central Oregon Association of Realtors, along with Mayor George Endicott and his challenger, Ed Fitch. That public forum starts at 1 p.m. at Geno's Italian Grill on North Highway 97. 

 

For more on the candidates, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

Local Co. Commissioners Head To Washington, DC

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone will take part in a White House meeting, this week, along with Crook County's Brian Barney and Commissioners from 11 other Oregon Counties. DeBone tells KBND News, "I think there’s going to be about 20-30 Commissioners from the state of Oregon at the White House on Thursday."

 

DeBone expects they’ll talk about infrastructure investment at the federal level that could be used for water, sewer and road projects. "Also, forest policy. I mean, think about how well that fits into Deschutes County’s issues of living in smoky summers; and it’s the forest policy at the federal level. So, the Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, the Forest Service, BLM – Let’s figure this out, let’s make sure we’re working in a positive direction." He tells KBND News, "The agenda is to be finalized by the office of Intergovernmental Affairs, but it’s been mentioned that there could be the top cabinet members, like the Department of Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Transportation; the Vice President has been available and joined in on some of these meetings, also." The Administration is meeting with county leaders from across the country, this year. DeBone believes Oregon is one of around 10 states left. "It’s really connecting with the top leadership in the United States of America to hear about the local issues in the counties around the country. This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this."

 

The trip is organized by the Association of Oregon Counties and includes a federal policy briefing at the National Association of Counties office.


DeBone leaves Wednesday and will return Friday. He is running for re-election but says that wasn't a factor in his decision to attend. Commissioner Tammy Baney turned it down since she's at the end of her term, and Commissioner Phil Henderson had a scheduling conflict. 

Four Bend City Council Candidates Debate

BEND, OR -- Four candidates for Bend City Council debated the issues at a forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, Tuesday night.

 

Though she was unable to attend, Sarah McCormick taped an opening statement where she said she's running for Position Six because she's worried about Bend's safety and affordability, "To be honest, I'm most worried about the incumbent in our race because she is so concerned with national, hot button political issues, that she walks out on City Council meetings. I will never walk out on the City of Bend." Barb Campbell, also running for Position Six, is the only incumbent in the race. She says the City Council needs her experience, "Since I'm the incumbent up here: I moved to town in 1981. I started my business nine years ago; I first ran for Council 6 years ago, and I was elected four years ago, when my opponent moved to town." She says she views her job a little like a gardener, "For four years, I've been working so hard on this little garden; and the hardest thing to get re-elected to be gardener again is that so much of the work is little seeds that you can't even see are there yet. And then you can't see the weeds that have already been pulled and thrown away." Ron 'Rondo' Boozell, the third Position Six candidate, did not take part in the event; he is currently incarcerated at the Deschutes County Jail.  

 

Position Five candidates were asked about dredging Mirror Pond. Andrew Davis told the crowd, "Dredging Mirror Pond for me, is a partnership between several entities and the City is one of them. I think Parks and Rec also has a piece to play in that equation, and I also think the homeowners along that stretch of river have some obligation." Gena Goodman-Campbell disagrees, "I think it's important to acknowledge that the land underneath Mirror Pond is privately owned, and it falls to those private land owners to fund the dredging, or decide how they're going to gather the funding for that."

 

The third candidate for Position Five, musician and preschool teacher Victor Johnson, says the state needs to do more to help people, "Affordable housing is maybe one of the biggest priorities, creating more green space and affirmative solutions to transportation. We need more quality childcare and the state could really help with that."

 

Bend-La Pine Schools To Shift Start Times

BEND, OR -- Beginning next fall, start times for Bend-La Pine Schools will change, with younger students starting about an hour earlier, and older students an hour later. "Elementary schools will start at approximately 8 a.m. and end at 2:30; and our middle and high schools will begin at approximately 8:45 and end at 3:45," Superintendent Shay Mikalson told KBND News shortly after announcing the shift at Tuesday night's School Board meeting.

 

According to Mikalson, the change is in the students' best interest, "A substantial body of research shows that the teenager would biologically benefit from later start times. All of our secondary schools currently begin before or at 8 a.m., which the American Academy of Pediatrics says is too early." In fact, he says some secondary schools in the district start as early as 7:30 a.m. "Specifically, the AAP says shifting back middle school and high school schedules is an effective countermeasure to chronic sleep loss and has a wide-range of potential benefits, in terms of academic achievement, physical and mental health, and safety. Solving sleep-deprivation issues with our students is not as simple as recommending earlier bedtimes." Mikalson says there is evidence that teens' circadian rhythms make it difficult for them to fall - and stay - asleep when they try to go to bed earlier. 


He says the decision wasn't made lightly, "Because our students’ physical health, emotional wellbeing and academic success is our priority, we’ve decided to make this change. This decision comes after nearly two years of staff, student, parent, union leadership and community engagement efforts."

 

Bend-La Pine Considers Change to School Starts (04/12/2018)

 

Doctors Back Proposal to Shift School Start Times (05/23/2018)


Mikalson says districts across the country are making this shift, in light of the research. Most of Oregon's largest districts all have secondary start times of 8:30 or later, including Portland, Hillsboro, North Clackamas, Eugene and Medford. He says announcing the change nearly a year ahead of time will allow everyone to plan accordingly. 

Wife of Redmond Mayor Runs For City Council

REDMOND, OR -- Krisanna Clark-Endicott is running for City Council in Redmond because she believes in public service and wants to serve her new community, "I'm excited about serving and about bringing great things to Redmond." She adds, "I think that, when you're an elected official, you should be supportive of your community. The way that you can really learn about the great things that are going on and the things that maybe could use some help, is be of service."

 

She's a fourth generation Oregonian and tells KBND News, "I used to be the Mayor of the city of Sherwood. I served two terms as the Mayor of the city of Sherwood, and two terms as a City Councilor." She met Redmond Mayor George Endicott at a Mayors' Conference and they were married in August of 2017. She and her children moved to Redmond a short time later, and she was eventually appointed to the Urban Area Planning Commission. Mayor Endicott is running for re-election in November, as well. 


Some question whether the couple should serve together on Council, and not be a united voting bloc. She responds, "Do you know that I do not know one married couple that agrees on everything? So, I fully expect that Mayor Endicott and I will agree on some things and will disagree on other things." Clark-Endicott says she has her own ideas and feels called to the work, "I love to serve. It's been a passion of mine since I started in service. My late husband, Del, passed away and he was a City Councilor at the time, so I ran to replace him in his seat. But then I found that I actually love the work; and so, I feel that people who can serve, should serve, and that's why I'm running."

 

Clark-Endicott is one of four candidates running for Redmond City Council, along with Jon Bullock, Jay Patrick, and Josefina Riggs. The top three vote-getters will fill the open positions. The Central Oregon Association of Realtors will host a Redmond forum on Thursday, with the candidates for Council and Mayor. It starts at 1 p.m. at Geno's Italian Grill. For more on each candidate, visit KBND's Election 2018 page. 

Local Charter School Part of New Coalition

REDMOND, OR -- The head of Redmond Proficiency Academy says it’s time for charter schools around the state to join forces. Dr. Jon Bullock says he helped form the Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools because it can be difficult to access resources they need to be successful. "Myself and some other charter school leaders from around the state recognized that there was a need to support and advocate for charter schools, particularly community-based charter schools. And, of the 125 charter schools in Oregon, most of them are small charter schools that are simply trying to fill a niche in the market; and we have a number of those in Central Oregon."

 

Bullock says they've hired an Executive Director, and the coalition officially launched Monday, "We’ve got about 20 member schools, to start with. And, our focus is going to be on supporting those schools, helping them develop and developing an advocacy network for charter schools. But, also an accountability system where we want to be able to help police our own schools, as it were," He tells KBND News, "Because, one of the criticism of charter schools is that they have lots of freedoms, and sometimes people don’t do a great job with those; and we want to make sure that we do that. RPA’s taken a lead in that, because we’ve become one of the largest, most successful charter schools in Oregon. We believe it’s our responsibility to help the charter school world and to help education in Oregon, by taking lessons we’ve learned and sharing those."

 

He expects the group will eventually engage in lobbying activities to influence educational legislation. Bullock believes state lawmakers should support options and opportunities for all students, regardless of what school they attend.  

Idaho Man Arrested After Bend Burglary

BEND, OR -- An Idaho man is accused in a Monday night burglary, north of Bend. Deschutes County Deputies were dispatched to Destiny Court, just after 9 p.m., after a man returned home and saw someone in his house. 


The victim called 911 and started to leave in his car when another vehicle came from the back of the house and nearly hit him. He allowed it to pass, then followed the suspect and provided updates to the dispatcher. 


Deputies caught up with the suspect vehicle and pulled it over at Third and O.B. Riley, and arrested 36-year-old Robert Lee Tyson, of Pocatello.  A woman with him in the car was released without charges. 


Deputies say they found several items belonging to the victim inside Tyson’s car. Tyson is charged with Burglary I and Aggravated Theft (over $10,000). His car was impounded for not having insurance. 

Four Arrested in Bend After Car, Foot Chase

BEND, OR -- Four people were arrested Monday night after a car chase, crash into an embankment and foot pursuit in southeast Bend. A Deschutes County Deputy noticed a suspicious car in a parking lot near Third and Wilson, at about 8:40 p.m. 

When the Deputy tried to conduct a traffic stop, the car sped down Miller, eventually getting stuck at the railroad embankment. All four people inside ran in different directions. The driver, 29-year-old Lonnie Fosburg, of Bend was arrested after a brief struggle; he was found with user amounts of drugs. Fosburg was taken to St. Charles Bend prior to the jail, for a medical evaluation. 


Authorities say 44-year-old Michael Dorazio, of Texas, 20-year-old Cheyenne Porter, of Bend (right), and 39-year-old B.J. Moody of Prineville (below), were taken into custody without incident. 


Investigators found a pistol in the car that was reported stolen from a Redmond home in May. 

 

   

Redmond Fire & Rescue Names New Chief

REDMOND, OR -- After several months with an interim Chief, Redmond Fire and Rescue has selected a new Chief to lead the district. Ken Kehmna is in Redmond this week, visiting with staff and getting to know the district; he starts next month.

 

Redmond Fire's Traci Cooper says the Western Fire Chiefs Association helped conduct the nationwide search, "For a qualified chief that had all the credentials, as well as somebody that was going to really be a good fit for Central Oregon, particularly Redmond Fire and Rescue, our staff and our community, was really the goal." She says Kehmna brings more than 30 years of experience, most recently as Chief of Santa Clara County Fire, in California. "His history shows that he’s moved through the ranks. He even has had a little bit of experience even being a Fire Marshall, which is what I do – which is kind of rare for a Fire Chief. So, he’s kind of ‘been there and done that’ in all the different positions, and has an understanding of the fire service, I think, really, truly in depth."

 

Cooper tells KBND News everyone is anxious to move forward. "He and his family are excited to start this process, get moved up here and get going. November first will be his first official day with us. He’ll be floating in and out, trying to learn about us. And, we’re excited about what the prospect is for the future of Redmond Fire and Rescue." 


Kehmna replaces Chief Tim Moor who retired last summer to take the Fire Chief Job in Sunriver. He will earn $140,000 a year to oversee the fire district and its nearly 80 personnel.

Hood To Coast Relay Comes To Central Oregon

POWELL BUTTE, OR -- Nearly a thousand runners and walkers took part in the first ever Hood to Coast High Desert relay, Saturday. Hood to Coast CEO Jude Hubber says the organization brought the popular relay series to Central Oregon because people were asking for it, "We have a radius of Hood to Coast, where there’s a certain volunteer base that lives in Portland. So, to be able to get outside of that – we took one up to Washington, we did one in Pacific City; now we’re going to Texas, and Hilton Head, and China, and Amsterdam. So, it’s been kind of fun." 

 

Hood To Coast High Desert Coming This Fall (01/17/2018)

 

Running teams started at Brasada Ranch, while walking teams began at the Powder House Cove Boat Ramp. Both finished back at Brasada, "The first teams took off at 4 a.m. and we sent them out every 15 minutes until 6 a.m.," Hubber tells KBND News, "And, the walkers had one wave at 5 a.m. It was raining when we got up." But, the chilly, wet weather didn’t dampen the spirits of the six-person teams that took part. Meg DuMez, a blogger for Run Oregon, came from Portland to participate, "All of the legs that I was part of, easy navigation – not easy legs! I went up a hill that I was not expecting; said bad words going up the hill I was not expecting. And now I have a lovely, shiny medal to take home with me."

 

The course took the 163 teams past ranches, rivers and mountains, even up the Prineville Grade and past the Facebook data centers. Prineville runner Mark Rhoden has participated in over a dozen relays. But, he says, this one was special, "To be able to be by your home and then you get done at a major exchange, and you can go into your local store in the town you’re from; it never happens that way." He says his all-male team had a great time, even if the weather wasn't ideal, "It was pouring rain, this morning; I was running in the rain and was just soaked." 


Unlike Hood To Coast – known as “The mother of all relays” – Saturday's High Desert event was just one day. Hubber calls it a huge success and is already looking forward to next year. "First place team was an all-female team out of Seattle. That’s our first race that we’ve had where there’s an all-female team that’s first place overall, so it’s kind of a big moment for us." 

 

A total of 147 running teams completed the course, along with 16 walking teams. Click HERE for complete results. 

 

Pictures: (top) Runners head through the Crooked River Gorge (courtesy Hood To Coast Relays);

(top right) Runners in the first wave wait at the starting line, at Brasada Ranch (Heather Roberts);

(upper right) Course markings dotted the landscape in rural Crook and Deschutes counties (Meg DuMez);

(above) Heather Roberts (far right) with her Run Oregon Team at the finish. 

 

Bend Group Frustrated Over Loss of Bike Lane

BEND, OR -- A bicycle advocacy group is upset over the loss of bike lanes on Purcell Boulevard at Butler Market Road. Bend Bikes says the new "Bikes On Road" signs show the city is not interested in providing safe bicycle routes and is not committed to promoting alternate modes of transportation, which encourages more people to drive. 


Principal Engineer for the city, George Franklet, says the intersection sees a lot more traffic now that Empire is closed for reconstruction, "But, the other big piece of it is concern about left and right turn hooks: vehicle and bike conflicts that really were an inordinate share of the car/bike conflicts in Bend that were identified in a 2012 crash study." He says with so many cars going through that intersection right now, there’s a much higher risk of a turning vehicle hitting a bike going straight.

 

While future plans for Purcell and Butler Market have not been finalized, Franklet doubts the bike lanes are gone for good, "The city really recognizes the importance of the Purcell corridor for multi-modal transportation, particularly for bikes, and being able to accommodate that is important. So, I think that’s very unlikely that that’s going to be a permanent situation." And, he says more bike lanes are coming to northeast Bend, "Bike lanes are included on the Empire extension itself. And, some of the things that we know are going to happen for the improvement of Purcell is, one of the big pinch-points along Purcell is the bridge over the North Unit Canal; we are planning on widening that bridge so pedestrian and bike traffic can be accommodated on that bridge without having to enter the traffic lane."

 

The Empire Corridor Improvement Project is expected to take several years. Empire Avenue, between 18th and Purcell, closed in early September and should reopen in mid-December. 

Rdm Council Candidate Aims To Be Immigrant Voice

REDMOND, OR -- Josefina Riggs is running for Redmond City Council because she wants to give immigrants and the LGBTQ community a voice in local government. She says her work with special needs students and as a caregiver is what prompted her to run for the Council, "I think, with my experience working in the different areas in the community, and how the people in different areas - make myself a voice for the people in the community." She tells KBND News, "If you can prioritize the things that people needed, you can do the best job. And I want to do that."

 

Riggs believes many remain under-represented, "I am [an] immigrant. The immigrants need to have a voice. Not only the immigrants, [but] the LGBT groups; different people that have different backgrounds. I want to support that people." She wants to make supporting those outside the mainstream a priority, "I [am] going to support Measure 105, because that is not okay; they are going to target the people, the way they look." 

 

She says, "I want to be part- not like regular people who work for the government. I want to [be] more friendly, and I want they can count with me."


Riggs is one of four candidates vying for three open positions on Redmond's City Council. Jon Bullock, Jay Patrick, and Krisanna Clark-Endicott are also running. The top three vote getters in November earn a seat on Council. The Central Oregon Association of Realtors will host a public candidate forum Thursday, for the four Council candidates and two running for Mayor. It starts at 1 p.m. at Geno's Italian Grill. Click HERE for details. For more information on the local candidates running for office in November, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

Walden, McLeod-Skinner Spar In Debate

BEND, OR -- The Republican and Democrat running for Oregon's Second Congressional District participated in their first, and perhaps only, debate Friday night, broadcast on KTVZ. They covered topics ranging from health care and forest management, to gun safety. 

 

When asked about her goals for health care, challenger Jamie McLeod Skinner detailed Rep. Greg Walden's record, saying he voted against coverage for pre-existing conditions and held the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) hostage, in protest of the Affordable Care Act, "When I talk about health care, I talk about ideas. It's things like making sure everyone has access to a full range of physical and mental health care. It's making sure we manage costs, making sure there's a high quality of care, care for the caregiver, covering pre-existing conditions and preventative care.

 

Walden points to his record battling opioid addiction, fighting for care for veterans, and helping allocate funding for local dependency and mental health programs. "I don't know what she's talking about because I've consistently supported children's health insurance programs. And, in fact, I lead the way in the Congress as Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee, to hear from all sides about how we can improve and expand children's health insurance." Walden says, because of his efforts, CHIP is funded for a full 10 years, for the first time. 
 

The two also differ on the economy. Walden says cutting taxes and lifting regulations have created a "rip-roaring economy." He told McLeod Skinner, "When you've had your own capital on the line, you understand that less regulation and more money means more jobs, greater investment. This is the strongest economy we've had since 1969." She replied that growth is happening nationally, but not locally, "Half the people in our district are still at or near the poverty line, and that's because people are now working two jobs and still not able to put food on our table and a roof over our head." She says there are new jobs, but they're low paying. Walden argued that since the individual tax cuts were made permanent, more people are taking home more money.

 

During the 60-minute debate, each candidate was allowed to ask the other one question. Incumbent Congressman Walden asked McLeod Skinner why she doesn't support the Forest Resiliency Bill. She answered that it would benefit the fossil fuel industry, to the detriment of renewable energy. "We have opportunities throughout our district- good paying jobs in all sorts of renewable energy: wind, solar, geothermal, biofuel. We should be helping to, instead of subsidizing the fossil fuel industry, subsidizing and incentivizing those businesses so that private sector can grow."


McLeod Skinner's question was a simple, "Where's Walden?" She challenged him on what she called his unwillingness to debate and asked him to commit to two more public forums before ballots go out, "What I'm hearing throughout the district, and what I'm seeing as well, is you're not showing up' you're not listening." He replied, "We're here debating. This is where we should be talking about the issues. I don't think we're going to do any more debates, if that's the answer. McLeod Skinner interrupted, "So, You're saying 'no.' It's a yes or no question." He responded, "If I could continue - We have an opportunity tonight to talk about the issues, and that's where we should be focused." Walden says constituents know he's working for Oregonians, "My history in office has been to work together, find solutions, and pass them into law. That's how you get things done. That's how I've passed more legislation than any member of the Oregon delegation."

 

Independent Mark Roberts was invited but unable to attend the debate due to illness.

Changes Considered For Redmond Birthing Ctr.

REDMOND, OR -- St. Charles Health System is considering how to address the rising cost of giving birth at the Bend and Redmond hospitals, and decreased efficiencies. Chief Operations Officer Iman Simmons says a group of experts has studied the issue for the last 10 months, "The task force is charged with how to provide those services in a higher quality way, a safer way that also reduces the cost of care to the patient. And, they came out with three proposals; one of those proposals includes combining the Redmond and Bend birth centers." One of those options would close the Redmond Birthing Center, but keep the St. Charles women’s clinic in Redmond for out-patient services; a second would consolidate both departments into Bend’s. The third option would keep the birthing center, but only for low-risk deliveries. She stresses that none of the proposals involve any lay-offs. 


Last year, about 500 babies were born at the Redmond hospital, but she says Redmond and Bend birthing centers are consistently less than 50% full. According to Simmons, a big contributing factor in the reduced efficiency and rising cost of deliveries is that fewer babies are being born, despite the rapid growth of Central Oregon’s population, "If you look at the demographics, it’s not families of child-birth age that are growing; it’s an older population. Births are going down nationally, and I believe the data for Central Oregon is that our births are down 9%. We love babies and we would love for more to be born." She acknowledges it would be a loss to the community, but for patients looking for a more intimate birthing experience, Simmons says the Madras hospital is still an option, and its birthing center could be enhanced through the shifting of services. 

 

Simmons says a final decision on which direction to take the Redmond facility is still months away and likely won't impact current pregnant moms, "At this stage of the game the recommendations are just proposals, and we are going to be studying them and then moving forward with a final recommendation as soon as we can do the serious contemplation and studying of what are the implications of those proposals." 

Sunday Night Crash Blamed On DUII Driver

 

PRINEVILLE, OR -- a late-night crash in Prineville is blamed on a drunk driver. Prineville Police say 47-year-old Todd Robinson was seen running from the crash near N. Main and NE 13th Street, just before 10:30 Sunday night. He was found and arrested without incident.

 

According to investigators, Robinson was southbound on Main when he hit a fence and a power pole support wire, causing a localized power outage for several hours. Officials estimate the crash caused several thousand dollars in damage to the fence and pole. 

 

After Robinson's arrest, his blood alcohol level registered at .16%, twice the legal limit in Oregon. He was booked for Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants and Failure to Perform the Duties of a Driver.  

 

 

La Pine Man Accused in Bend Stabbing

BEND, OR -- A La Pine man faces multiple charges, accused of stabbing a Bend man at a bar, early Sunday morning. Bend Police say 24-year-old Adam Richardson and 29-year-old David Simmons were involved in a confrontation outside the M and J Tavern, on Greenwood.


Simmons went inside, but came out a short time later and says he found Richardson trying to stab his car's tires. When Simmons said something, Richardson allegedly stabbed him in the hand. Police responded just after 1 a.m. and identified Richardson as the suspect. He was arrested at his La Pine home, Sunday morning, without incident.


He's charged with assault and criminal mischief. Police say the knife used in the altercation was found in his vehicle. Simmons was treated at St. Charles Bend for non-life threatening injuries. 

Rep. Walden Celebrates Mosaic Medical Grant

BEND, OR -- Oregon Congressman Greg Walden met with officials from Mosaic Medical Thursday, in Bend, to celebrate a new grant aimed at addressing the opioid epidemic. "These health centers do amazing work for people in the community to provide great access to health care; and now," says Walden "Really, are doing more and more in providing services for mental health services, as well as for substance abuse treatment."

 

Walden says the $212,750 grant is part of a larger $17 million coming to Oregon to help caregivers in rural populations, "They serve a quarter million people in Oregon, and it helps them enhance their efforts to bring behavioral health together with physical health, and then help people who have addiction or mental health issues get access to the care they need. So, it's an important, important program."


Mosaic's Director of Behavioral Health Kim Swanson says the funds will improve access and save time, "It offers one stop shopping for our patients. That's where they want to receive services, so the more robust resources we have in primary care, and the more comprehensive, the more patients are going to engage in care." She says the money will allow patients to have better access "to medication assisted treatment by hiring a full-time physician in primary care and implementation of telepsychiatry to increase access to psychiatric services."


Nationwide, $396 million has been awarded by Health and Human Services for community health centers and rural health programs through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). At Thursday's round table, Walden said the money will help rural communities where specialty care may be scarce, "We're trying to build resiliency around the healthcare framework in our communities, and these community health centers are a big part of that," adding, "For me, it's important to know that, when we appropriate this money, does it actually get to the ground? To the people that are on the front lines? So that's kind of exciting." 

Oregon will receive $6.7 million in HRSA funding, including $2.2 million for Oregon’s Second Congressional District. Some of the money will also go to fund the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), for 10 years.  

Local Candidates Discuss Homeless Crisis

BEND, OR -- Oregon’s gubernatorial candidates have released plans on how they would address the state’s homeless crisis; the Homeless Leadership Coalition of Central Oregon now wants to hear from those running in local races. The HLC will host a forum, Friday morning, with nearly a dozen candidates.

 

John Lodise, with Shepherd’s House Ministries, serves on the HLC's Advocacy Committee, which organized the event. He says homelessness is not a political issue with an easy solution, "Homelessness is a matter of circumstance of the individual. It is not really a category of a certain type of person; it can affect anybody. One of the things I think would surprise people is how many different stories comprise the issue of homelessness." He tells KBND News some politicians only talk about how they would pay for solutions to housing, addiction and mental health problems, but says, "It’s not a dollars and cents question. A lot of the reason people become homeless is they have simply lost trust in the civilization that’s support them, of which they’re supposed to be a part. And usually, that lack of trust comes about through some trauma; and then that trauma can tend to manifest itself in addiction issues, and it becomes a mental health issue."

 

Friday's forum begins at 8 a.m. at the Bend Elks Lodge. It's free and open to the public. "We have most of the candidates from the Oregon House and Deschutes County Commissioner race, so there will be a broad base of representation there," says Lodise, "Each candidate will have five minutes, openly, to state whatever position they wish to state on the issue of homelessness and/or affordable housing. Once that’s over, the audience will have 15 minutes to ask questions of any candidate on the panel." House District candidates Jack Zika and Eileen Kiely are expected to attend, as well as Cheri Helt, with HD 54, State Rep. Mike McLane and a representative for his District 55 challenger, Karen Rippberger, and District 59 candidate Darcy Long-Curtis and incumbent Rep. Daniel Bonham. Deschutes County Commissioner candidates Amy Lowes, Patty Adair and James Cook also say they will be there. 

Non-Affiliated Voters Surpass GOP in Desch. Co.

BEND, OR -- For the first time, the number of Non-Affiliated Voters (NAV) in Deschutes County has exceeded those registered with any one party. As of October first, there were 41,786 NAV voters in Deschutes County, 41,744 registered Republicans, 40,383 Democrats and 8,053 registered with the Independent Party.


County Clerk Nancy Blankenship says it's likely the result of Oregon's "Motor Voter" law that took effect January 1, 2016. "The end of December 2015, the Non-Affiliated voters- we had 24,093. In September of 2018, we have that 41,786. That’s an increase of 73%." With Motor Voter, Oregonians are registered to vote through interactions with the DMV. The person must then respond to a mailing to select their party affiliation. Blankenship tells KBND News, "I think it’s typically because people are automatically registered to vote and they just don’t take the time to either change a party, if they’ve always been affiliated with one. Or, they’re happy to be non-affiliated." She sees a similar shift occurring statewide, "Maybe not to the extent we’ve seen it here in Deschutes County. I mean, that’s a pretty significant growth – 73%; when the others only, the Dems grew by 28% in that same time period, the Republicans grew by 15% and Independent grew by 11.8 [percent]." 


OSU-Cascades political science professor James Foster isn’t surprised by the latest numbers, "The primary motivation factor is deep-seeded alienation from both political parties." He tells KBND News voters aren't happy with traditional party politics, especially with issues like housing, minimum wage and healthcare, "People are hurting for a variety of reasons. And, the other side of it is they’re not seeing either the Republican Party or the Democratic Party being responsive to those concerns." Foster adds, "People are very angry. Couple that anger with feeling pretty impotent and not having their voices heard. So, people are in the process of voting with their registration, if you will, against both parties."
 

So, how do politicians and candidates adjust to this shift in voter registrations? Oregon Congressman Greg Walden is in Bend, this week, and says it doesn’t change how he campaigns, "I just try and do my job and put the product out there and let the people judge on accomplishment and results. I think most Oregonians look beyond their party registration to say, ‘who’s actually getting the job done?’." Walden and his Democratic challenger Jamie McLeod-Skinner will face each other in their first – and, so far, only – debate Friday night. They’ll be joined in Bend by Independent Party nominee Mark Roberts in an hour-long debate at 7 p.m., on KTVZ-TV. 

Grass Fire Threatens Homes Near Sisters

SISTERS, OR -- Firefighters and law enforcement quickly attacked a grass fire northeast of Sisters, Thursday afternoon. The blaze was first reported at about 3:10 p.m., along Sno Cap Lane, near Vista Ridge Drive.

 

Crews from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District stopped forward progress at about 1.5 acres. While the fire burned near a residential area, no structures were lost. 

Candidate Wants Nonpartisan Bend City Council

BEND, OR -- One candidate for Bend's City Council says she will approach governing with logic and a cool head. 

 

Sarah McCormick is running for Position Six against Ron Boozell, who's currently in jail for allegedly failing to pay child support, and incumbent Councilor Barb Campbell, whom McCormick describes as 'having a poor track record.' McCormick tells KBND News, "This is a nonpartisan race, and the issues of Bend are nonpartisan; and she keeps bringing it back to her grievances about Trump and the administration, and it's wasting the time of the people of Bend. She needs to be there for them." She says it's fine to have opinions about national politics, but when discussing Bend's issues, there's no room for distraction, "My main focus is going to be Bend, and I vow I will not walk out on any City Council meetings because I can't handle the content of them. I vow not to walk out on the City of Bend."

 

McCormick says she wants to meet with people from the business community and other sectors to learn different perspectives on Bend's issues, "I want to make sure that I'm not just speaking from my own brain, that I'm actually supporting it with people who are either faced with a specific problem or who are in the businesses of fixing that problem." She says she would fight to lower the System Development Charges (SDCs), to make it easier for daycare providers to open facilities, because she believes the lack of affordable childcare goes hand in hand with Bend's housing crisis. Homelessness is also on her mind and she says she's already meeting with local law enforcement to help determine possible solutions.

 

She believes her global perspective would help the city to face some of its more pressing issues. McCormick says living places other than Bend and serving on several national and international boards of directors has informed her viewpoint on how smaller cities can solve big problems, "This city is in a time of really important growth; and I think that the right people in key positions, working together, is the only way that we're going to get anything to happen in a timely manner that's going to be cost effective."

 

City Council candidates will take part in a forum hosted by the Bend Chamber, October 9. Click HERE for details. For more on the candidates running for office in November, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

St. Charles Bend Nurses Hold Second Rally

BEND, OR -- St. Charles nurses rallied again, Wednesday evening, to protest ongoing staffing shortages at the Bend hospital. Caregivers have been working under the terms of an expired contract since July and the Oregon Nurses Association is currently negotiating with hospital administrators. Nurses held a rally in mid-September to draw attention to contract negotiations and various issues they say impact patient safety.

 

Surgical Nurse Sara Land says negotiations are going well, but the lack of permanent Operating Room (O.R.) staff remains a huge problem, "As of a couple months ago, we were short 27 people. We have a hard time retaining new staff members because the hospital doesn't pay very well, so people move to other hospitals in other areas where reimbursement is better."

 

St. Charles Chief Nursing Officer Debbie Robinson admits they've lost staff, but says they're working to rebuild their roster, "We have a variety of either permanent replacement staff or what we've referred to as 'travelers,' who can fill holes quickly. But, our desire is to have a fully staffed operating room with permanent staff." Travelers are trained nursing staff employed by a contract agency, who move from hospital to hospital, as needed. Land says that makes it tough to form a team atmosphere, "We don't have enough staff currently, and we're trying to just have a baseline of staffing. We're struggling to keep up with that. We hope to get permanent staff and fill our gap with people that want to stick around here." Robinson calls staffing issues 'Dynamic' and says they're working to address issues, "We're constantly evaluating that. We staff based on what we anticipate, and then we have to flex, looking at what the needs are and matching the resources."

 

In 2017, nurses filed a staffing alert against St. Charles Bend, sparking an investigation by the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), which exposed hundreds of additional staffing violations. Robinson says the hospital has since corrected those issues. Then last month, nurses notified the OHA that repeated staffing shortages in operating rooms means the hospital is unable to meet its designation as a Level II Trauma Center. The OHA is expected to visit the facility on Friday. Dr. Jennifer Waters, Medical Director for Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, says they maintain state mandated staffing levels at all times, and any state inspections are routine, "On the day of our visit in 2017, October fifth was chosen for our next routine visit; and the visit has absolutely nothing to do with our nursing staffing."

Sisters Country Horizons To Hold Summit

SISTERS, OR -- Over the past several months, Sisters Country Horizons has talked with residents, met with community leaders and conducted several online surveys in an effort to develop strategies that will improve livability in the area. They'll release their results and the top-scoring strategies at a summit, Thursday evening. 

 

Sisters Mayor Chuck Ryan says it’s been years since city leaders have received this kind of information, "Things have changed so much, macro- and micro-economically, we felt it was time. There are just so many things that everybody wants us to look at, whether it’s affordable housing, or economic diversification, or an ice skating rink – it runs the gamut." The first Sisters Country Horizons survey, completed by nearly 500 residents last spring, showed people value most the area’s natural environment and small-town feel. 
 
Ryan says the process to get to this point has taken a while, but it's been very deliberate, "We don’t want it to go on the shelf, so we’re making sure we try to do this the right way. We’ve got consultants involved, we’ve got the county involved, we’ve got organizations like COIC involved. We’re just trying to take it one step at a time and not have to do this over again in a year or two years."
 
At Thursday's meeting, the group will also formally launch a Vision Action Team, made up of 32 people from various sectors. "This team’s going to meet four or five times over the next couple of months and come up with action plans that will be achievable over the next couple of years," Mayor Ryan tells KBND News, "We’re trying to strategize what’s important for the city and how we execute those strategies over time and try to do things the right way, and not rush into things, and not over-plan and under-execute." 
 
The Vision Summit will be held at Five Pine Lodge & Conference Center, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

Dozens of Animals Seized From CRR Property

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, OR -- Dozens of animals were seized from a property in Crooked River Ranch, Wednesday afternoon, after the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant. Undersheriff Marc Heckathorn says 37-year-old Jonothan Vance and 35-year-old Melody Barnes were arrested for outstanding warrants; both were on probation for a 2013 animal neglect conviction. 

 

The Three Rivers Humane Society in Madras is caring for the six dogs, four cats, two snakes, four rats and 20 fish taken from the home on Cinder Drive. Deputies remained on scene into the evening, and Heckathorn says the investigation is ongoing. He expects the couple will face additional criminal charges related to the search warrant. 
 
Photos: (top) Courtesy Jefferson Co. Jail; (right) Courtesy John Stevens

Elk Meadow Evacuated For Gas Odor

BEND, OR -- Elk Meadow Elementary in southwest Bend was evacuated, Wednesday morning, just as students were arriving at the school. Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe says the principal discovered a natural gas odor, at about 8:45 a.m. "She went to investigate, couldn’t find anything, got some other coworkers to come corroborate. There was a smell of gas inside and outside the building, so at that point they got the kids out; they were very organized. I think they did a great job."

 

Howe tells KBND News they later discovered there was no emergency, but he says it turned out to be a good drill for everyone, "Bend Fire and Cascade Natural Gas both arrived on scene, kids were already evacuated out on to the playground. They had some school buses there, so they loaded some of the younger kids into the school buses, just to keep them warm." He says when firefighters and Cascade Natural Gas arrived, just before 9, they could not find a leak or break in any gas lines, "It was probably just a little gas system ‘burp,’ that sometimes happens with those bigger systems and we found no readings of natural gas concentrations in the building. So, the kids were all back in the classroom by about 9:20."
 
Principal Kelle Hildebrandt and Assistant Principal Frank Hanson sent a letter to families, Wednesday, following the incident: 

Elk Meadow Families, 

 

This morning, prior to the start of school, our staff noticed what they believed to be the faint smell of natural gas in and around our building. Emergency responders investigated and deemed the smell a result of a gas ‘burp’. The Bend Fire Department says gas lines include a safety mechanism which blows out excess pressurized gas, resulting in a ‘burp’. Officials say that this issue was isolated to a single location and that there was no threat to students or staff as a result of the ‘burp’.

 

As emergency responders investigated the source of the smell, we used our evacuation protocol to move students and staff out of the building and to safe places. Our youngest students were boarded onto buses to keep them warm, while our older students moved to a play field a safe distance away. 

 

All students and staff returned to class at about 9:20 a.m., after emergency responders deemed the school ready to re-enter. While today started with some excitement, we are already back into our daily groove and students and staff are having a great day.

 

All Bend-La Pine Schools, including Elk Meadow, practice evacuation/fire drills every month (ten a year). You might like to talk to your student tonight about what they learned during this event. This could be a good teachable moment and opportunity to talk about natural gas, your home fire alarms, your evacuation plans, or where you all will meet if you ever need to leave your home due to gas leak, fire, or another emergency.

 

Again, we want to thank our staff, students and volunteers who were inside the building before school for doing an amazing job of following our evacuation safety protocol. And a huge thank you to parents who showed great patience as we changed our drop off procedures during the event.

 

Thank you for your continued support of Elk Meadow Elementary School.

 

Prineville Man Charged With Kidnapping After Chase

PRINEVILLE, OR -- A Prineville man faces multiple charges, including Second Degree Kidnapping, after a high-speed chase through Prineville, earlier this week.

 

Tuesday afternoon, an officer tried to pull over a car near NW Beaver Ave. for reckless driving, but it refused to stop. As the driver sped south on Crooked River Highway, officers reported seeing a woman try to get out. She later told investigators she feared for her life during the pursuit.

 

The car eventually stopped and 36-year-old Lawrence Stroud was arrested. He's charged with Attempt to Elude, Reckless Driving, Kidnapping, Parole Violation and Reckless Endangering. 

Bend Couple Killed In Hwy 97 Crash

CRESCENT, OR -- A Bend couple was killed in a crash in northern Klamath County that led to the closure of Highway 97 for several hours, Tuesday afternoon.

 

According to State Police, 56-year-old Marcia Myers was southbound when she pulled on to the shoulder near milepost 188, at about 2:15 p.m. She attempted a u-turn, but pulled in front of a semi-truck, driven by a California man. The truck hit Myers' Toyota Yaris on the driver's side, sending it off the northbound shoulder.

 

Marcia Myers and her passenger, 60-year-old Larry Myers were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck driver was not hurt. Highway 97 was closed for about five hours. 

DCSO Finds Missing La Pine Woman, Safe

TUMALO, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office was busy with two separate incidents on either end of the county, Tuesday. A woman's body was discovered near O.B. Riley and Tumalo Reservoir Road, Tuesday afternoon. Sheriff's Deputies responded to the area at about 3:20 p.m. and say her death does not appear to be the result of foul play. The investigation is ongoing, and the woman's identity has not been released.

 

Later that night, DCSO Deputies helped search for a woman reported missing about 3.5 hours after she left for a bike ride with her dog, in La Pine State Park. Bonnie England's husband called authorities just before 9 p.m. from the park's campground. The 69-year-old woman did not have a cell phone, food or water with her. After a 2.5-hour search spanning about five miles, they found England and her dog. She did not require medical attention and was reunited with her husband.

 

MAC Hires New Leader As DOJ Inquiry Continues

MADRAS, OR -- The Madras Aquatic Center Recreation District has a new leader, known for his high energy and wealth of experience in helping organizations renew and maintain their strategic goals. James Weyermann was officially named Executive Director at Tuesday's meeting of the MAC Board.

 

An interim Executive Director has led the district since Joe McHaney was fired in June. Board Chair Jinnell Lewis says Weyermann takes over immediately, "He's real excited to get going. It happens to be that our interim Director, Gary Barth, was just finishing up his three months next week, so Jim offered to start right away." She tells KBND News, "He seems like a really big go-getter, who moves into places and accomplishes a lot, Sets goals and makes them happen everywhere he has been in the past, so we're hoping he can do that here, too."

 

Lewis says operations at the pool and around the district have continued uninterrupted through the transition, but everyone is ready to move into a new chapter, "He definitely brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm, which we're really looking forward to. he has just a tremendous amount of experience in a lot of different things." Weyermann is most recently of California, having worked for the Golden State Warriors, but Lewis says he's also built stadiums, worked for city mayors, and overhauled children's programs, "He has a pretty broad range of things that he's done, working with different organizations, and so we're hoping to bring all that experience in and really move things forward with our recreation district."

 

Lewis would not comment on the ongoing investigation by Oregon's Department of Justice into the former Executive Director, nor would she confirm rumors he was fired over alleged financial improprieties. However, she hopes the DOJ inquiry will wrap up by the end of the month. 

Fall Prescribed Burns Planned This Week

BEND, OR -- With the increased chance of rain and cooling temperatures, the fire risk across the High Desert is dramatically lower than it was a week ago, "We’re going to see a lot less fire activity. We might see a couple of escape campfires if people aren’t diligent about putting those out, we might get a grass fire; but, we’re not going to see a large timber fire," says Kassidy Kern, with the Deschutes National Forest, "So, I would say – equivocating a little bit – but, we’re very likely out of fire season."

 

The Forest Service lifted public use restrictions this week for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville BLM. But, Kern tells KBND News, says campfire restrictions remain in some areas, like along the Crooked and Deschutes River and Lake Billy Chinook, "Often we post signs but, just in case someone has torn them down or you blow by them, just know before you go. Make sure you know if you’re allowed to legally have a campfire. But, if you’re disperse camping – I know a lot of folks are hunting, even a lot of our staff is out hunting right now – and, it’s a good time to have a campfire. It’s getting pretty chilly at night and we wanted to be responsive to that."
 
With the end of the wildfire season comes fall prescribed burns. An 800-acre unit just north of Little Summit Prairie is planned for the Ochoco National Forest, Wednesday, and two burns are scheduled for near Sisters and Camp Sherman Wednesday and Thursday. A 1,400-acre unit is planned for near Hole in the Ground, 22 miles southeast of La Pine, Thursday, as well. Kern says with some areas still extremely dry, fire managers are aware danger remains, "We have to be responsive to the conditions. And, if we don’t get the conditions we need to make the burn do what we need it to do, and actually restore the ecosystem, we don’t want this to turn into a wildfire." All burns are subject to favorable weather conditions. 

Candidates For Two State House Seats Debate

BEND, OR -- Candidates for House District 53, Jack Zika and Eileen Kiely, and one candidate for District 54, Cheri Helt, debated the issues at a Bend Chamber forum, Tuesday evening. Helt's Democratic opponent Nathan Boddie did not attend. The candidates were asked about corporate taxes, Central Oregon's wildfire problem, funding higher education and PERS.

 

Kiely and Zika disagree on how to reform the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS). Kiely told the crowd, "We are already making the cuts that we need to make, but without increasing revenue, we'll keep cutting the vital services that we're looking for." Zika responded, "So, unlike my opponent, I do not believe we need to raise taxes. I believe that we have more revenue now coming to the state than we've ever had. There are cuts that can be made."

 

The two also disagreed on whether to increase corporate taxes. "I think businesses already pay their fair share," said Zika, "You don't want to burden businesses with regulation and taxes. We're already burdening them enough." He thinks Cap and Trade is a hidden sales tax that will close area businesses, but Kiely calls it capitalism, "It provides an investment fund for small businesses to make the clean up so they can stay competitive."
 
Both agree affordable housing is a huge problem, but not on how to fix it. Kiely says, "The first thing we need to do is pass Measure 102, which will actually help the local governments raise money for these kinds of projects." But, Zika says, "If you tax people to make affordable housing, you're creating unaffordable housing for everyone who's paying that tax! that is a horrible idea! I don't know why anybody would support that."
 
District 54 candidate Helt, who has served for eight years on the school board, says she has worked toward finding solutions for the affordable housing crisis by helping construction companies qualify for grants. "It would be nice if we had a quick, easy fix to fix our affordable housing crisis, but I think it's really important that we work together as a community to solve our affordable housing crisis." Helt says she's looking forward to being Central Oregon's next independent-thinking and inclusive representative, because she knows that only by working together will things improve, "It's really important that we're here and we're listening, and this is how we're going to get the change that we want."
 
For more on the November Mid-Terms, visit our Elections 2018 page. 

Illegal Pot, BHO & Lab Discovered In Bend Bust

BEND, OR -- More than 90 mature pot plants and 55 immature plants were seized from an illegal marijuana grow discovered at property southeast of Bend. Deschutes County deputies and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team also found nearly six pounds of dried pot and 4.76 pounds of Butane Honey Oil product, as well as two BHO labs. They destroyed 50 pounds of "shake," which are leaves and stems that contain THC and are used to produce BHO.

 
Detectives believe 34-year-old Andrew Ledford and 40-year-old Jennifer Jones were illegally exporting pot out of state, hidden inside decorative wall art. They discovered a large quantity of product hidden within shipped packaging, inside a removable back panel (pictured: right). They also found a "substantial amount" of vaping inserts containing THC. They say the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are expected. Ledford and Jones face numerous drug-related charges. 
 
A search warrant was executed at the property in early September, as part of a joint effort between CODE and the new Sheriff's Office proactive marijuana enforcement detective, authorized by County Commissioners. 

Third Time A Charm For Canal Application

BEND, OR -- A section of Central Oregon Irrigation District's (COID) main canal, bordered by Ward and Gosney Roads on the East side of Bend, is once again up for consideration to become an historic landmark. Associate planner Zechariah Heck says it's been a long road, "It is actually the third time the Historic Landmarks Commission will be reviewing this nomination."


The first time the nomination was considered, the Deschutes County Landmarks Commission turned it down. The second time, it was rejected by the state, largely based on comments opposing the request from County Commissioners. Heck says, this time, coordination between all the parties created a win-win scenario, "I think the biggest highlight of this nomination is that it's been revised multiple times." He tells KBND News, "Both sides have come together, worked things out, and proposed a revised nomination that reflects that." Heck believes the applicants did their due diligence, "In the past, this has been a highly controversial project. This time around, Central Oregon Irrigation District is in support of the nomination." And, he says, they coordinated with a professional historic preservationist "to prepare a nomination for listing this segment as an historic district."


The next stop for the application is the State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation, which tabled the nomination last May. They meet later this month. If it receives state approval, the nomination would go to the National Park Service who oversees the National Register of Historic Places

Bend Considers Plastic Bag Ban

BEND, OR -- Three Bend City Councilors meet Tuesday to start developing a proposal that would impact shoppers across the city, "To ban single-use plastic carry-out bags, similar to bans that have been adopted by cities from Portland, to Eugene, to Ashland, the city of Milwaukie and others," says Bend's Senior Policy Analyst, Gillian Ockner. A total of nine other cities in Oregon have similar bans. She says it would not impact the use of plastic in grocery departments, like produce and bulk bags. 

 

The Plastic Bag Ban Working Group subcommittee is made up of City Councilors Sally Russell, Bruce Abernethy and Barb Campbell. Ockner says they plan to create the ordinance over just two meetings, "They’re going to actually come up with an ordinance that will be presented to the full City Council on December fifth in a first reading, and then they will vote on whether or not to pass that new ordinance." The group Un-Bag Bend presented the idea to City Council over the summer.


Ockner says the goal is influence consumer behavior through regulating what stores can offer, "The acceptable alternatives that are typically identified in other ordinances that we’ve seen include 100% recycled paper bag, with 40% post-consumer recycled content, that the retail establishment can offer instead of a plastic bag if the customer does not bring their own reusable bag." The ordinance could include a fee for using a single-use sack provided by the store. Ockner tells KBND News the three City Councilors will work on the ordinance together, taking into consideration input and expertise received from all sides, "The Northwest Grocery Association has a representative who’s been working with the Surfrider Foundation throughout the state, to inform these types of policies, so that the parts of the policies reflect what they both can support – both the environmental groups and the retailers."

 

If it’s approved, Ockner says there would likely be a six-month grace period for retailers to use up their stock of plastic bags. 

Naming Process Underway For New School

BEND, OR -- Bend's new elementary school, under construction near O.B. Riley and Cooley roads, still doesn't have a name. School Principal Kevin Gehrig hopes families will help come up with some options, "That idea that the whole community is given an opportunity to submit names, I'm sure there's going to be some great names that come out of it that I would've never thought of if I were doing it on my own, or the committee itself. To have the opportunity to just get the input and the thinking from the community about a name, is going to be great."

 

Ideas can be submitted online, "There was a press release that went out and it's asking the community to give us suggested names. And then, ultimately, they can click on a link in that press release - it will be out on Facebook and school newsletters, as well - to submit a name, and then also the thinking behind why they're submitting that name," says Gehrig. He tells KBND News there are guidelines, "The board policy looks at soliciting names for People, so names of distinguished individuals; Places, names that recognize historical, geographic landmarks in the area; and then also Themes, that reflect the cultural or historic character of the community." Click HERE to access that naming survey. 

 

Groundbreaking Planned For New Bend School (06/06/2018)


Gehrig leads the naming committee that will then take all suggestions and narrow the list down to the best three names. Those will then go to the Bend-La Pine School Board for final consideration. He hopes they'll be able to announce the new school's name by mid-December. It's scheduled to open to students in the fall of 2019. 

Public's Help Sought In Sisters Poaching Case

SISTERS, OR -- State Police Fish and Wildlife troopers hope the public can help investigators identify a poaching suspect who killed a young deer last week near Sisters. According to OSP, the fawn mule deer was shot by a pellet, which struck both lungs. The animal was discovered Tuesday, September 25, near Sisters View Drive. 


The Turn-in-Poachers - or "TIP" - program is offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest in this or any other wildlife case. Call the TIP hotline at 1-800-452-7888 or 541-388-6213 and reference case #SP18-360418. You can remain anonymous. 

Dog Stolen From Bend Back Home, Safe

BEND, OR -- A Philomath woman is charged with felony theft, accused of taking a dog from outside a downtown Bend business. "This all started Friday evening, when we were given information that Kido was missing, which is not uncommon for a dog to get out, get curious about something, leave, go wander," says Bend Police Lt. Clint Burleigh, "It wasn’t until Saturday that we discovered someone had taken him." 

 

On Saturday, Bend PD posted security footage on its social media pages that showed a woman untying Kido's leash and taking the dog. That's when tips started pouring in, "We live in a really great community; a lot of shares, a lot of posts, a lot of people commenting. Somehow on Sunday, an acquaintance of the suspect was able to get in touch with Kido’s owner and they had a conversation. We were kind of brought into the loop a little bit. We learned that the suspect that took Kido felt he was malnourished." Burleigh tells KBND News Kido was not malnourished, and was clearly well taken care of.

 

After that tip from the suspect's boyfriend, Kido was found in the Philomath home of 41-year-old Sabrina Lynn McCaskill, through a joint operation with Corvallis and Philomath Police. Late Sunday night, Kido was reunited with his owner in Bend, "Kido was actively licking his owner, his human," says Lt. Burleigh, "It was a pretty cool thing to see; it really was."


McCaskill is charged with Theft of a Companion Animal, which is a class C felony. 

 

Lt. Burleigh says if you find a pet in Bend, notify police through non-emergency dispatch (541-693-6911) or contact the Humane Society of Central Oregon. "Posting a found pet on one of many social media pages is a good second step, but that alone is insufficient for those who do not use social media." Failure to attempt to locate the owner could result in criminal charges. 

CET Offers Free Transit Tuesdays

BEND, OR -- Cascades East Transit is celebrating 10 years of bus service, in conjunction with the Oregon Drive Less Challenge, which kicks off Monday and runs through October 15. 


Derek Hofbauer says it's CET's birthday, but riders are the ones receiving gifts, like free rides. "Free Transit Tuesday on each of the Tuesdays during the Drive Less Challenge; and that’s to really encourage people to try transit. And, that’s on Bend’s fixed route and community connector services." He tells KBND News, "And then we’re going to be doing some special events at our Hawthorne Station on Tuesday, October second, and then also at our new Redmond Transit Hub on Tuesday, October ninth. So, we’re going to be greeting riders, having snacks, giving them some little blinky lights, because it’s going to be getting dark sooner." Tuesday's rider appreciation, October second, at Hawthorne station is from 7:30 to 10 a.m. And, next week’s event at the Redmond Hub is from 2 to 4:30 p.m. 


The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) created Cascades East Transit in 2008 to provide public transportation options in outlying areas; it merged with Bend Area Transit in 2010. Hofbauer says they’ve grown exponentially in the past decade. "I think one of the things we’re especially proud of is our recreational services: Ride the River and Ride Bend and Lava Butte. We’ve had some really unique partnerships, also with Mt. Bachelor. Not a lot of cities and jurisdictions do that."

Community Forum To Focus On Mirror Pond

BEND, OR -- Five experts on Mirror Pond will take part in a public forum Tuesday night, to help explain the issues surrounding the Bend icon. Organizer Foster Fell believes locals should get informed, especially when they'll be the ones footing the bill to fix the pond, "There will be, very soon, votes in both the Bend City Council and the Bend Parks District, whether or not to approve as much as $3.3 million to subsidize a dredging operation in Mirror Pond." He tells KBND News, "It's a very expensive proposition for both City government and the Parks District, and there's also some questions raised as to whether or not it's really even needed at all for environmental reasons."

 

Fell says, "There's some thought that the river's doing just fine on its own, and even if it's not dredged, the river will continue to flow, and it will actually build up a very nice wetland, similar to the Colorado Street dam." He says those varying viewpoints and drawn-out community conversation prompted him to organize Tuesday's event, "It's a very important issue, and we don't seem to ever come to a resolution of it. So, we've really  never had an open Town hall yet on the Mirror Pond issues, so I thought this would be a great chance to talk about it."

 

The forum begins at 6:30 at the Environmental Center in downtown Bend. "We have a panel of five community members, speaking from various points of view, some of them favor preservation of the pond, some of them feel that it would be better to have an open, free-flowing river at Mirror Pond." The audience will be allowed to express their own opinions and ask questions of the panel, made up of a City Councilor, a biologist, a former State Senator, a Deschutes River activist, and a hydro-geologist. 

Jeff. Co. Sheriff: Jail Bond Would Close Funding Gap

MADRAS, OR -- Jefferson County voters will decide in November whether to raise property taxes to cover a funding gap at the jail. Sheriff Jim Adkins says the bond measure would increase taxes by $.46 per $1,000 of assessed property value, taking the total levy amount for the jail to $1.70 per $1,000.

 

Under a special agreement, Crook County sends many of its inmates to Jefferson County. "Currently, we have 105 inmates in my jail. Of those 105 inmates, 30 of them are Crook County's," says Sheriff Adkins. But, that contract will expire early next year, when Crook County's new jail opens, "What that means to Jefferson County is a revenue loss of about $700,000 - $750,000."

 

Adkins says Jefferson County's current jail bond is set to expire in June of 2019, so it's nearly time for a vote anyway, "I'm able to go out to the voters and say, 'Hey, I'm losing all this revenue, so it's time for us to step up and pick up that loss of revenue'." He tells KBND News, "That levy, if approved, will last for another five years. It would generate a total of about $14.8 million over the 5 year period. All of proceeds of that $14.8 million will go to the jail operations."

 

If the bond is rejected, Adkins plans to try again in May 2019. If voters reject it a second time, the Sheriff says there will be cuts, "46% of my personnel will have to be laid off, and that means I won't be able to house as many inmates."

 

For more coverage of the November Election, click HERE

Local Teen Takes Part in Gov. Debate

PORTLAND, OR -- The candidates for Governor face off in their first debate on Tuesday, and all the questions will come from kids, including a Crook County teen.

 

Olivia Cooper is a senior at Crook County High School. She will travel to Portland for the "Debate for Oregon's Future," sponsored by Children First for Oregon. "I think this is going to be a great opportunity," Cooper tells KBND News. She believes allowing kids to determine the questions will make the debate more interesting. "They told us, 'Pick something that's important to you, write a question about it.' And, you know, I think that's really important, because I think a lot of kids think about issues that aren't necessarily as important to adults. And so, I think giving us free rein actually makes for better questions, more thoughtful questions, that maybe the gubernatorial candidates haven't been asked before." She says her question will remain top secret until she asks it at the debate. 


This won't just look good on Cooper's resume; she's using this chance to make an important decision, "I'm going to be 18 at the end of October, so, I'm going to be able to vote. I think this is going to help me personally to make up my mind about which candidate to go for. So, we'll see!"

 

While she's looking forward to the trip to Portland, Cooper admits she wishes the candidates would plan a debate in Central Oregon, "I think that a lot of their focus is on Portland and bigger areas, just because that's where a lot of people are. And what they don't seem to understand is that Central Oregon has quite a few people, and it kind of upsets me a little bit that they choose not to spend as much time here."

 

All three candidates are expected to participate in the debate: Governor Kate Brown (D), Bend State Rep. Knute Buehler (R) and cabinetmaker Patrick Starnes (I). The Debate for Oregon's Future is 7-8 p.m. on Tuesday, and will be broadcast in Central Oregon on KBNZ-CBS, as well as live-streamed through KOIN-TV

 

For more on the candidates, visit our Election 2018 page. 

Salem Hiker Rescued From South Sister Trail

BEND, OR -- A Salem man was hurt while hiking the South Sisters climber’s trail, Saturday afternoon, prompting a response by Deschutes County Search and Rescue. The 47-year-old man reportedly re-injured a previous injury and wasn’t able to continue on the trail, despite help from a friend.

 

A dozen SAR volunteers hiked three miles from the Devil’s Lake trailhead to meet up with the man, loaded him into a wheeled litter and transported him back to the trailhead, where he opted to seek medical attention at a later time.

Redmond Man Accused of Killing Roommate's Dog

REDMOND, OR -- A Redmond-area man is accused of beating his roommate’s dog to death, last week, and investigators are still searching for a motive. 

 

Witnesses called 911 to report seeing 39-year-old Jeffrey Taylor use his hands and feet to injure the dog in his front yard, on NE Yucca, just north of Redmond, Thursday afternoon. He allegedly threatened passers-by who tried to intervene. A state trooper and Sheriff’s Deputy arrived at the home just north of Redmond and stopped the attack. They provided first aid to the 17-year-old Australian Shepherd named Ashton, but he died at the scene. The dog’s owner was not home at the time. 


Taylor was taken to the hospital for evaluation and is charged with Animal Abuse. DCSO says he was cited in-lieu of going to jail. Due to privacy concerns, officials would not comment on the specific reason Taylor was not taken to jail, but said a citation is often issued in lieu of custody based on the charges, or if the suspect requires immediate medical or mental health care. They say his citation is still considered an arrest and "does not discount the seriousness of the alleged crimes."

Overnight House Fire Impacts Redmond Family

REDMOND, OR -- A southwest Redmond family awoke to the smell of smoke in their home, early Monday morning, and firefighters say they were very lucky to escape unharmed, as there were no working smoke alarms. 


Fire crews arrived at the house on Southwest Parkway Drive about 2:30 a.m. and discovered a small fire in the attic. They believe it started when the chimney got so hot it ignited a mattress and cardboard leaning against the exposed brick. Firefighters removed the burning material, ventilated the home and installed a smoke detector before they left.

 

The family of four and their dog was able to return home after the fire was extinguished. 

Portland Man Charged After La Pine Chase

LA PINE, OR -- A Portland man is expected to appear in Deschutes County court Monday, to answer to numerous charges stemming from a pursuit in La Pine.  


On Friday, deputies tried to stop 28-year-old Phillip Anderson for speeding at over 100 miles an hour on Day Road. They called off the pursuit over safety concerns, but found the SUV crashed in a residential yard, a short time later. Anderson initially refused to get out of the vehicle. After a 10-minute negotiation, he was taken into custody without incident. 


They determined Anderson ingested drugs during the chase and stand-off, and he was taken to St. Charles Bend before being booked into the jail. The vehicle he was driving was reported stolen from Gresham in July. 

 

Anderson is charged with Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, Heroin Possession, Meth Possession, Attempt to Elude, Reckless Driving, Recklessly Endangering, Driving While Suspended, Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon, Tampering with Evidence, Criminal Mischief, three outstanding warrants from Multnomah County and a parole violation. 

 

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