BEND, OR -- A small plane crashed east of the Bend Airport Friday afternoon. The pilot and sole person on board suffered only minor injuries. 

Emergency crews were dispatched to the crash site on Nelson Road just after 1:30 p.m. and found 62-year-old David Rudd's red plane upside down in a field. Rudd told the Sheriff's Office he was flying from Lewiston, Idaho and attempted to land at the Bend Airport but experienced a loss of fuel to the engine. While trying to make an emergency landing in the field, the single-engine plane struck a barbed wire fence and overturned. 

The FAA will conduct its own investigation into the cause of the crash. 

It's the second Central Oregon plane crash in as many days. On Thursday, the pilot of a small jet, his passenger and their dog walked away from a rough landing at the Sunriver Airport. Shortly after 12:30 p.m., witnesses reported a Cessna Citation Mustang landed without its landing gear, causing the jet to skid to a stop on its belly. One person saw flames and smoke; although when first responders arrived, there was no fire. The runway was closed for several hours until airport crews could get the plane removed.

BEND, OR -- Two renderings of sculptures under consideration for the new Bend Public Works Campus are now on display for the public to weigh in.

The public input portion of the process was delayed after the Selection Committee realized one design shared similarities with the Southern Border wall. Both artists were allowed to revise their proposals and the new concepts are now on display through September 10th at the Larkspur Community Center and downtown Bend Library.

Eventually, a large-scale sculpture wall will sit alongside Cooley Road, stretching about 250 feet along the south end of the campus. A smaller piece is going on Talus Place, at the campus entrance.

You'll find more information at the Art in Public Places website.  

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has its first undersheriff in almost 20 years. "I've had three Division Commanders that report directly to me," Sheriff Shane Nelson told KBND News this week, "The last time we had an Undersheriff was actually our previous Sheriff, Undersheriff Larry Blanton, before he was appointed to be Sheriff."

Sheriff Nelson promoted Captain Paul Garrison (pictured, right) to Undersheriff last week. "He's got 29 years of experience in law enforcement, came to the Sheriff's office in the mid- to late-90s, and has most recently been commanding the Detective Division."

Nelson says Garrison's main job will be to oversee the transition of power when a new Sheriff is elected in November, "It requires some state mandates to hand over the prisoners, double check evidence and transfer monies. So there's a process to that. And, the other reason I wanted to have an undersheriff was to deal with any election-related issues." He adds, "It could be anything involving concerns or complaints or other investigations that might be related to the election."

Deschutes County hasn't had a Sheriff's election without an incumbent in more than two decades. Nelson acknowledges the campaign to determine his replacement has been difficult on the agency, especially since both candidates currently work for DCSO, "It can create and be divisive for some of our teammates that are working in the office, and I always want to be transparent. This was an excellent way to have an individual who was unbiased in the election-support issue to deal with election-related issues."

BEND, OR -- Community leaders gathered Thursday at the site of a new home going up at 15^th and Wilson in Bend.

"Our workforce housing initiative was really born about 3 and a half years ago when we took a look around and studied our employers and they said one of the biggest barriers to recruiting and retaining talent here in Central Oregon was the cost of housing", says Sara Odendahl, with the Bend Chamber, "What we've done in terms of education with our social media campaign, advocacy with our state policy work and then investments with a project just like this are trying to help move the needle with our partners: public, private, nonprofit."

Providence Health Plan provided the seed money for Hiatus Homes and Cascade Precision Homes to secure a low-cost construction loan through Mid Oregon Credit Union.

Those partnerships are key because this type of workforce housing is largely unsubsidized. "The market is not able to actually build given our current economic constraints. So, it's really important for us to be able to assist and help provide that extra subsidy to get some of these projects over the line to pencil." Odendahl says, adding it's part of a 'try everything' approach to solving the housing crisis.  

The house will remain deed-restricted for families earning up to 120% of the area median income and work in Bend. 

It will be universally-designed, fitting all abilities and ages, and build to last. "One of our key initiatives at Habitat for Humanity is sustainability and really that's what we're looking at in creating homes, not just for the first buyer but for the community in the long run," says Habitat for Humanity's Carly Colgan.

The new owners are expected to move in later this year.

The Bend Chamber partners with non-profit housing organizations like Habitat for Humanity, builders, developers, and employers to identify land throughout the city of Bend to utilize the Loan, resulting in lower costs passed on to the buyer. The loan fund is funded through philanthropic contributions to the BendNEXT Foundation, the 501(c)3 foundation of the Bend Chamber.

BEND, OR -- When students head back to Bend-La Pine Schools next week, they will again be expected to keep their phones out of sight during class. "This will be year three for the middle schools and year two of the high schools, in which we are saying, 'off and away'," says Superintendent Dr. Steve Cook, "Cell phones have no place as being active use in the classrooms. So we're going to continue with that."

Dr. Cook tells KBND News, "People might see and hear their students talk about caddies and places to put their phone while they're in class at the high school level. We're asking our middle school students, and have been for a couple of years, 'phones, if you have them in middle school, make sure those are off and away in backpacks, in lockers,' not anywhere to be a viable distraction for them."  He adds, "While we're not trying to eliminate cell phones and the use of technology in classrooms altogether, we are definitely trying to limit that access that might be away from the learning experience."

More research has emerged about the impact of screentime on students' learning, "It's been 10-12 years across - not just across the country, maybe worldwide, of which we're starting to get some data on the impacts of screentime with students and their learning, and the ability to focus and all of those things. But with technology ever-evolving, Dr. Cook says, the district is trying to strike a balance. Adjustments to the policy may come soon, given the popularity of smaller devices that have phone capabilities, like smartwatches, "So, we're even talking about wearable technology, and what does that look like, and what's responsible use look like? It's one thing to say just never bring them, never use them. It's another thing to grow adults and give them skills to function in society."

file photo

BEND, OR -- A bicyclist was taken to the hospital Friday morning, after colliding with a car in northwest Bend. Police say the vehicle was eastbound on Skyliners Road when the driver made a left at Lemhi Pass Drive, into the path of the westbound bicycle. 

The cyclist was seriously injuried in the crash, which occurred at about 7:45 a.m.. The driver of the car remained on scene and is reportedly cooperating with officers. 

Bend Police continues to investigate and, as of 9:30 a.m., Skyliners Road remains closed, from Mt Washington Drive to NW 17th. Lemhi Pass Drive is also closed at the intersection with Skyliners. 

MADRAS, OR -- Jefferson County officials are finalizing plans to mitigate the financial damage done by Portland General Electric's $1.8 million property tax overpayment. 

"My 16 years here, I've never seen anything like this," County Commissioner Wayne Fording said Wednesday, "I mean, we have seen overpayments but in smaller tax accounts, not the biggest taxpayer in the county." But, he believes PGE is trying to be a good partner by waiving interest and offering a $500,000 grant to help offset the repayment demand. That still leaves about $1.2 million due, an amount the taxing districts will collectively lose when PGE pays its 2024 property tax bill this fall. 

Joe Costigan, with the Crooked River Ranch Fire District, joined others in asking the county to help the smallest taxing districts cover their portion of the debt, "Ultimately, what we're asking you to do is help us out, be innovative in how we deal with this, reduce that tax load."

Commissioner Mark Wunsch proposed Wednesday using leftover federal COVID-relief money, known as ARPA, to cover the rest of the amount owed by those districts, saying, "The need for the small districts that had no to little benefit out of it, of at least making them whole." The board unanimously agreed, noting the specific amount hasn't been finalized. Commissioner Fording said, "Yes, there was a mistake, but who do we point it at? I think we're getting to the bottom of it, and I feel good about helping these smaller taxing districts become whole."

Despite not receiving the additional help from the ARPA funds, Jefferson County Fire & EMS Chief Jeff Blake told Commissioner he agrees with the plan and is happy everyone is working together, "We are Jefferson County. We're all the smaller cities and the smaller areas around. We don't have a lot. I came from a place that had a lot, and we have to work extra hard."

Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire officials say their district is lucky, it'll be able to absorb what it owes, "But in any other county in Oregon, if another situation happens like this, some districts could potentially be losing personnel." They asked Commissioners to work with the Legislature to change the state law that mandates overpayments be repayed by all taxing districts in the county, even those that didn't benefit from the original payment. "If we're working off of a Revised Statute from '74, that needs to be re-addressed. They have the technology now to be able to tell what taxing districts are receiving money from properties. It's not like it was back then." Others asked for the Department of Revenue to be held accountable for allowing such a miscalculation to be processed.  

BEND, OR -- Housing Advocates, developers, and realtors are taking legal action to stop Bend's new tree code that went into effect August 16th. Central Oregon Builders Association, Bend YIMBY ("Yes In My Back Yard"), Brooks Resources, Central Oregon Association of Realtors, Empire Construction & Development, and Hayden Homes signed on to a motion to intervene filed with the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals on behalf of the appeal filed by Pahlisch Homes earlier this month.

Morgan Greenwood, with the Central Oregon Builders Association, says revisions are needed, "The city didn't evaluate the impact of the new tree code on the cost of housing development. Our median home price and Bend is already sky high and this tree code is definitely going to increase those costs."

"All of the parties that joined in this motion to intervene were participating along every step of the way throughout the public process. And we made our concerns known throughout and we were simply ignored when these concerns were brought to the table," Greenwood says adding, "So really this motion to intervene is simply requesting a pause in the process with the hope of bringing the city back to the table."

They want the rules revised. "We recognize that trees are a large part of the reason that people move to enjoy the beauty of central Oregon. We are not opposed to preserving trees. We are just asking that because our housing crisis is affecting our entire community that we take into consideration how a tree preservation code does impact needed housing development," Greenwood says.

Pahlisch Homes filed the first motion to intervene on August 6^th. 

Mayor Melanie Kebler and the city released this statement after that motion was filed: "Concern for the health of Bend's urban canopy is widespread in our community, and the City Council heard from many voices throughout the development of the updated tree code. Those voices included some of the people now suing the City, who were members of the Tree Regulation Update Advisory Committee. That committee produced a recommended policy that was a compromise between all sides. At our final hearing, Council then made further changes to the code based on feedback from the development community. We did not ignore requests to compromise, and the code is reasonable and balanced. For many years, the Bend City Council has consistently made policy changes to support the development of needed housing in our city. Bend is building more homes per capita than any other city in the state. Housing affordability remains a top goal for the Council, and we will continue the policy work to remove barriers to housing and lower housing costs."

The coalition of groups released a statement to KBND News and provided details on their recommendations.

"We are asking City of Bend's elected leaders to reconsider, and take another crack at doing a better job of balancing our priority need for housing in this community with tree preservation," said Jim Roberts, with Bend YIMBY.

The parties are asking the City of Bend to consider six specific recommendations for reducing impacts to housing costs, including:

1.      Inventoried vs Non-Inventoried Trees: Any tree, regardless of size, should not be required to be inventoried, preserved, or mitigated if it falls within an area of future or current right-of-way. This recommendation aligns with HPAC's recommendations.

2.      Included Mitigation Count Trees: The required street trees, parking lot trees and landscaping trees should be included as part of the on-site tree replacement mitigation counts.

3.      Proportional Fees: The fee for the payment in lieu of tree preservation must demonstrate that it is proportionate to the impact of the removal of existing trees, ensuring the fee is reasonable and takes into consideration the recent Supreme Court decision that contemplates proportionality of impact fees.

4.      Tree Maintenance Timeframe: Replacement and preserved trees should be required to be maintained for a 3-year period from the date of land division final plat approval or building final inspection, whichever occurs first.

5.      Prior Approved Masterplans: Masterplans that have received approval prior to the effective date of the proposed text amendments shall be exempt from the code changes.

6.      Annual tree code review: The City will work with building community partners to develop criteria for evaluating the tree code on an annual basis.

BEND, OR -- A 44-year-old Bend man faces numerous charges after police say he shot at someone Wednesday afternoon. The incident led to the closure of NE Emerson and Second Street for several hours.
Witnesses report Aaron Polit parked his Jeep on NE Emerson at around 3:30 p.m., and got out of his car holding a handgun. They say he yelled to a man nearby, firing at least one shot.
The victim wasn’t hit and took shelter in the Lighthouse Navigation Center. A bystander with a concealed weapons permit drew his gun and confronted Polit, who dropped his weapon. Police arrived shortly after and took him into custody. Officers located a 9mm handgun on the ground near where he was arrested.
Inside Polit's car, detectives found body armor, a 12-gauge shotgun and ammunition. He's accused of Attempted Murder, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, being a Felon in Possession of a Weapon, Felon in Possession of Body Armor, Recklessly Endangering Another and Pointing a Firearm at Another. 

The area of the shooting reopened at around 10:30 p.m.

SISTERS, OR -- Tickets for the Sisters Rodeo will go on sale six weeks later than they used to. "We've always released them on Labor Day Weekend," says Rodeo Board Vice President Brian Greig, "It has been for a long, long time." He hopes fans will be patient with the shift to October 15, which he says better aligns with the rodeo's budget cycle.

"Our fiscal year ends right about the time that tickets go on sale for the following year," and Greig says that made it tough for bookkeepers, given the event's growth. Between 35,000 and 40,000 people attend over the five days in June, which means tickets will be in high demand, "You'll want to get them quick because we sell out every year. There's really no bad seat in the house, but if you want to get close to the action, certainly the seats that are close to the chutes are obviously the ones that kind of go fast. But there's really no bad seat." 

Greig tells KBND News he's not worried about losing six weeks of the timeline, "We're not concerned about it at all because we have sold out every single year. So, knock on wood that we have the same result. But, we're not concerned about it just because we know we have such a committed following of folks that love the rodeo industry." He says the Sisters Rodeo has become a destination event, because of the availability of Central Oregon hotels, "But also because of our camping situation out there at the rodeo grounds, which is very, very unique in our sport, where people can bring their RVs and bring their fifth wheels and they can literally stay on site at the rodeo."

An incident at the 2024 rodeo - where several people were hurt by an escaped bull - isn't expected to impact ticket sales for next year's event, "We're working closely with the PRCA. We're continually monitoring the situation and we have a great relationship with them," says Greig.

The 2025 Sisters Rodeo is June 11th through the 15th. The only legitimate website for tickets is Tickets.SistersRodeo.com. 

PRINEVILLE, OR -- A 49-year-old woman is reportedly in stable condition after getting injured while rock climbing near Ochoco Reservoir. The woman and a climbing partner were north of Highway 26E, Wednesday afternoon, when a rock fell and hit her in the torso. She was knocked off the wall to an eight-foot ledge about 30 feet from the valley floor. 

Crook County Search and Rescue was activated but unable to get to the woman, due to the steep hillside and loose rock. Deschutes County SAR's rope team was dispatched, but again, were unable to reach her. 

An Oregon National Guard Medevac helicopter deployed and arrived in Crook County just after 8 p.m. The helicopter team evacuated the woman and took her to St. Charles Bend.

Photo courtesy of Crook County Undersheriff Bill Elliott

SISTERS, OR -- A Klamath Falls woman was killed in a Tuesday morning crash, 17 miles west of Sisters. According to Oregon State Police, 18-year-old Scarlett Felder was eastbound on Highway 20, when her Tesla crossed into oncoming traffic and hit a westbound Jeep. Investigators say the driver of the Jeep, a 65-year-old Florida man, tried to avoid the collision but was unable. 

Felder died at the scene. All four people in the Jeep reportedly suffered minor injuries. Highway 20 was closed for several hours for the investigation. Speed is believed to have been the primary factor in the crash. 

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond Police hope the public can help find a 23-year-old man who hasn't been seen since Sunday. Brian Dolan left his home on foot at about 8 a.m. on August 25th, leaving behind his wallet and any means to care for himself, according to police. He has a cell phone, but his family is unable to track its location.

Dolan is 6'2" tall and weighs about 160 pounds. His current clothing is unknown. He suffers from mental illness and can be emotional or irrational when approached or contacted.

Anyone with information in the case is asked to contact non-emergency dispatch, at 541-693-6911.

UPDATE (4:40 p.m.) -- Redmond Police say Dolan was found in Bend. He's in good health and has been reunited with his family. 

BEND, OR -- A 21-year-old Bend man is accused of riding a motorcycle while drunk and crashing on the Bend Parkway Tuesday night, leading to a 30-minute closure of the highway. 

Bend Police responded just before 7:30 p.m. to the incident in the southbound lanes, near Reed Lane. Witnesses reported the motorcycle rolled multiple times, throwing the rider off the Parkway and down an embankment.

Officers provided medical care until paramedics arrived and took the man to St. Charles Bend. He's expected to survive and was later cited for DUI-Alcohol.

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond students don’t head back to class until next week. But Superintendent Dr. Charan Cline says middle schools are already opening their doors to families Wednesday evening. "Open houses are where you come and see sort of what’s happening in the school. You have a chance to connect with your teachers, have a chance to see any improvements that were made in the school over the year, get connected with your parent-teacher organizations." He tells KBND News, "It’s a good chance just to meet people, form that relationship and just come in and find out what your school’s about." Elton Gregory and Obsidian Middle Schools both host events Wednesday; sixth grade families at 5 p.m., with seventh and eighth grade at 6 p.m.

Dr. Cline says other schools will host open houses later in the fall, and families will get to check out upgrades made over the summer, including seismic work conducted at John Tuck and Tumalo elementaries, "They’re some of our oldest buildings in our group of resources we have there. And those buildings, they need a lot of love and they were built quite a while ago and have lots of additions on to them, and they’re vulnerable in case of an earthquake or a big shake." He adds, "Parts of them have literally been cut in half, where they’ve separated different parts of the building and they’re putting them back together in what's called seismic separation. So, if the ground starts shaking, those two parts of the building shake independent of each other and don’t tear each other apart." Tumalo’s open house is September 12th; John Tuck’s is September 19th.

Seismic upgrades were paid for by a grant. At Hugh Hartman Elementary, the 2020 bond covered the cost of major heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) work. "It was our most inefficient system in the district. We’ve rebuilt it completely; put a whole pile of money into that," says Dr. Cline, "It’s too bad that you’ll never see it. It’s all in the ceiling. We’re going to end up saving over $74,000 a year, we estimate, between electric and gas utilities, through that replacement." Hugh Hartman hosts several open house events: September 5 for kindergarten, September 12 for third through fifth grades and September 19 for first and second grade. 

Photo courtesy of HMK Company: John Tuck Elementary undergoes seismic upgrades throughout the gym and cafeteria. 

REDMOND, OR -- Redmond expects to become the first city in the country to officially designate September as Patriot Month. The City Council plans to sign a proclamation at Tuesday night's meeting, written by Rachel Nordenhök. "I am very patriotic, myself. And, I've talked with some veterans that really supported this," she tells KBND News, "Because they feel like they need more than one day to celebrate, and for us to celebrate them."

Nordenhök says, "On Veterans Day, all the veterans and their different groups, they don't all get together in one place. So there's really not a time when they all celebrate together." According to the proclamation, Patriot Month is a time to show appreciation for those who serve our country and its interests. "And also to support our local law enforcement, our first responders, our military and the love for our country," says Nordenhök, "So we thought a whole month to do that would be great." Everyone is encouraged to display an American flag, wear patriotic gear and attend gatherings that support patriotism. "I am going to help one of the veterans put together an event where all of the veteran groups get together."

The original push was for July to be Patriot Month, but Nordenhök says the switch coincides with September eleventh, which is federally recognized as Patriot Day. 

"Maybe that's dreaming big that Patriot Month would be taken up nationally?" says Nordenhök, "It could. But things take time, but it's been submitted. And I hope, personally, that it becomes a proclamation across the United States."

Also at Tuesday's meeting, the Redmond City Council will consider a proclamation designating this September 11th as a citywide period of honor for those impacted by the September eleventh attacks.

TERREBONNE, OR -- A Bend man faces several charges after crashing into a pond in Terrebonne, Monday afternoon. 

Prior to the crash, multiple people reported a silver SUV traveling recklessly on Highway 97. The car was northbound when witnesses say it almost struck other vehicles and was unable to maintain its own lane. A deputy attempted to pull the SUV over, but lost sight of it as it continued into Terrebonne.

Just after 4 p.m. Monday, deputies were dispatched to a crash on Wilcox Avenue, near Smith Rock. A silver SUV was reportedly in a pond after flipping over during a crash. The person who called 911 said the vehicle was not fully submerged but the driver could not get out on his own. Arriving deputies helped the man out of the water, and he was checked at St. Charles Redmond as a precaution. 

The driver, identified as 34-year-old Jacob Lecense, is accused of Driving Under the Influence, Reckless Driving and Criminal Mischief. 

Sergeant Jason Wall says a deputy working from a Sheriff's office special task force located the speeding vehicle. "So the Community Action Target Team is a group of deputies here that are not in the call rotation. We call them our CATT team obviously for short and they are led by a sergeant and we have three current deputies. 
Wall tells KBND News this is exactly the type of call the Community Action Target Team is for. "They are specifically designed to conduct focused enforcement on specific areas, specific crimes, specific violations." He adds Central Oregon's busy highwaysfull of construction zones and tourists make CATT necessary. "When you have a traffic complaint of this magnitude traveling into those areas, we get very concerned. And so that's why we have the Community Action Target Team."

REDMOND, OR -- Two Redmond businesses were burglarized earlier this month, and investigators believe a Jefferson County man is responsible for both break-ins. Redmond Police Detectives arrested 34-year-old Ryan Gray last Thursday.

Sora Sushi, on the south end of Redmond, and Xtreme RC and Hobbies, in downtown Redmond, were broken into August 19th, in a close timeframe. 

RPD says video and physical evidence, along with other leads, pointed to two Jefferson County locations where Gray lives. While executing a search warrant, Detectives say they recovered radio-controlled cars and parts. 

Gray is charged with Burglary, Criminal Mischief and Aggravated Theft. 

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is searching for a missing 25-year-old who hasn't been seen since Saturday. Anthony Lopez was reported missing Monday after he failed to return to his home on Winnebago Lane in Deschutes River Woods. He reportedly left a family member's home in Romaine Village at around 2 p.m. Saturday.

Lopez is not associated with a vehicle and does not have a phone with him. He has a history of seizures, struggles to walk efficiently and is diagnosed Schizophrenic.

He's described as Hispanic, 5'9" tall and 120 pounds. He has chin-length curly brown hair and was last seen wearing brown Carhartt pants, a light blue hooded sweatshirt and skateboard shoes. 

Anyone who sees Lopez or knows where he is should call non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911; reference case #24-48654.

UPDATE (5:53 p.m.) -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reports Anthony Lopez has been reunited with his family. No other details were released. 

MADRAS, OR -- Economic Development for Central Oregon has chosen a new director for its Jefferson County office. Brenna Fulks starts October first. It’s been five years since EDCO has dedicated staff to Jefferson County.

Fulks’ primary role will be to guide employers through the process of moving to the area, managing incentive programs and working with local companies. "There is a great deal of opportunity for business and industry growth across Jefferson County and we are excited to have such an experienced economic development leader to develop and nurture opportunities locally," Will Ibershof, City Administrator for the City of Madras, said in a statement.

Fulks previously served as the Economic Development lead for the city of Forest Grove. She's also served as Executive Director of the Klamath Falls Downtown Association. "It’s rare that we have the opportunity to hire an experienced economic development professional, especially one with experience in Oregon," EDCO CEO Jon Stark said in a statement, "Brenna’s energy, knowledge and skills will undoubtedly help Jefferson County achieve stronger economic outcomes and create more opportunities for this growing and vibrant community."

BEND, OR -- While teachers prepare classrooms this week for students to return, Bend-La Pine Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Cook is looking ahead to the next legislative session. "We're already in contact with the Governor's office about our priorities," Dr. Cook tells KBND News, "Lots of dialog with our local legislators, lots of dialog with the Governor's office. And we will be doing a lot of advocating for what the students and staff of our district need, as we go into this long session." 

Bend-La Pine Schools expects to benefit from the Governor's proposal to change how K-12 school funding is calculated for the 2025-27 budget cycle. Dr. Cook is pleased with the adjustment, "The Governor did really pay close attention to the fact that the way they're calculating some of the math on school funding has- we had some discrepancies in what we believed the way it was going. And she's committed an additional $500 million." He adds, "That's a huge benefit to our schools and our families. And our students are going to feel that impact." But he hopes more will come in 2025, "We're excited to continue that. We're asking them for things like, 'Hey, if there are laws that we want to implement, let's make sure there's funding that come with meeting the needs of those."

The district attempted to increase its budget with a five-year $21 million levy, but that was soundly defeated in the May election. 

BEND, OR -- The Giving Plate has seen a 40% increase in the number of families requesting food assistance since opening its community store in Bend last spring. Executive Director Ranae Staley says she expected some growth, "I really, though, am shocked how fast the growth came." She tells KBND News, "We have been so encouraged by how much our guests appreciate this space and the dignity it’s providing them in accessing our food relief services. But, we’re also a little shocked at the growth rate that we’re experiencing."

The new community store allows families in need to "shop" for their own groceries, instead of receiving a box of donated food selected by someone else. "We do have people who have come and say they’ve heard about us and they really need our help, and they’re so grateful they can come and not feel embarrassed to come," says Staley, "The majority of those we help are not unhoused. They’re the working poor. They’re the families next door, who are silently suffering, living paycheck by paycheck. And, they’re not as afraid to show up. They’re feeling more empowered and they’re feeling the dignity of a new shopping model." Staley says clients can visit up to twice a month, but 65% come just once a month.

Every month since opening the store in April, she says they’ve consistently served more families than 2023’s busiest month. At the same time, Staley says, they have 7% less food to offer and donations are flat. "Even with this level of growth, there’s moments when my staff and volunteers will say it felt slow, it wasn’t as chaotic as it used to be; and yet we’re serving more people." But she worries how they’ll keep up the pace heading into fall, which is typically The Giving Plate's busiest time of year. 

Click HERE to schedule a tour or for information on how to volunteer or donate. 

MADRAS, OR -- Jefferson County taxing districts met with county leaders Friday to work out details of a massive repayment, after Portland General Electric paid $1.8 million dollars more in property taxes than it was supposed to in 2023. "It was a meeting called by PGE and PGE was not present," says Lynn Breeden, Chair of the Crooked River Ranch Special Road District Board. PGE tells KBND News the meeting was called by the Jefferson County Administrator, not the utility, although it was invited. 

Breeden says he's frustrated he couldn't talk directly to PGE but is pleased to learn there will be some help, "PGE is offering the county a half a million dollar grant to offset the expenses. So, they’ve actually thrown two bones: They’ve removed the interest and now they’re offering a half a million dollar reduction in the amount owed, via a grant." If the county accepts the $500,000 grant, Breeden's district will still owe just over $10,000, despite - he says - not receiving any of the original money. "Something’s going to get shorted to make up for the money," he says. He acknowledges other districts, like the library (pictured), face a much bigger shortfall.

Previous coverage: Jefferson Co. Taxing Districts Grapple With PGE Overpayment

The payback will occur as a reduction in PGE's 2024 property tax payment to Jefferson County, totaling about $1.2 million, which will deeply impact the second half of the fiscal year. For Breeden and others, it means a big adjustment in budgets they finalized in June, "If I have no wiggle room in the budget I have, I’m going to have to rewrite a new budget, along with all these other districts."

A PGE spokesperson told KBND Friday the mistake occurred "due to an overstatement in the net book value of PGE properties in Jefferson County submitted to the Oregon Departmebt of Revenue in 2023. Under state law, tax overpayments must be repayed to the tax payer. And an Oregon court case determined large corrections can be spread across all taxing districts. PGE says the $500,000 grant its offering will come from the utility’s general fund, which is paid for by shareholders. Representatives of the utility chose not to attend Friday's meeting after learning the agenda was focused on how to distribute the grant.

Jefferson County Commissioners will discuss the plan at their regular meeting on Wednesday.

Story updated to include clarification that Jefferson County called Friday's meeting, not PGE. 

DIAMOND LAKE, OR -- The body of Chimanbai Patel was recovered from Diamond Lake Friday morning. A person walking their dog spotted a body in the water at about 7:45 a.m. and called 911. Douglas County Marine Deputies responded and confirmed it was that of Patel.

Patel went missing last Saturday, after friends said he jumped from a boat to go for a swim. His family has questioned that story, telling Central Oregon Daily News the man didn't know how to swim. 

The Douglas County Medical Examiner's Office will conduct a death investigation. The Sheriff's Office says there is currently no indication of foul play. 

Photo courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office: DCSO Marine Deputies search for the Patel, 08/19/24

BEND, OR -- Investigators believe a 32-year-old Bend man tried to lure children online, for the purpose of sexual gratification. Talon Daniel Arnold was identified as a suspect during an investigation by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office that began on July 17. 

Arnold was arrested on an unrelated charge on August fourth. The Digital Forensics Unit analyzed his phone. The Sheriff's Office says they confirmed Arnold had control of his phone at the time sexually explicit images and texts were sent to a child under the age of 16. 

He's charged with Luring a Minor, Attempting to Use a Child in the Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and Online Sexual Corruption of a Child. 

BEND, OR -- The U.S. Forest Service is working to shore up its wildland firefighting force in the Pacific Northwest. Recruitment events will be held in Bend, Sandy and La Grande on September 12th, in an effort to hire a couple hundred permanent seasonal positions. "That's our goal, is to hire up to 200, maybe even a little more if we can, into these what we call entry level, perm-fire-hire positions, which are typically your six to nine-month timeframe employment within the agency," says Jason Heinz, who works in regional workforce development for the Forest Service.

He says those jobs are spread around Oregon, Washington and Alaska, and in most cases fill an existing position, "We aren't creating new boxes. These are filling currently either vacated boxes or trying to move some of our workforce to a more permanent workforce."

Several factors have made it more difficult to recruit wildland crews in recent years, "We are increasing the number of individuals that work for the agency, our fire seasons are getting longer, burnout is a real thing," says Heinze, "And so, we're trying to work on adding more capacity to our crews so that we can have a better work-life balance." That long season isn't only in the Pacific Northwest, "I would consider all of our crews, even though they work within Oregon, Washington or Alaska, they can go anywhere within the lower 48. And they also go to Alaska, Hawaii, and we've fought fire in Canada and we've sent folks to Australia. So, our crews go all over the place."

Applications must be submitted through USAJobs.gov before September 24th. Heinz says they'll take all work experience into consideration, "Make sure that when you're building your resume, you're putting anything on there you've done in the past, whether it's a paid job or working for grandma and grandpa in their orchard and get paid with dinner or a roof over your head, type thing, or any volunteer work that you do." He notes no previous firefighting experience is required, "We roughly hired 250 of these individuals last year, and approximately 30-40 had no prior experience."

The Forest Service hosts a local recruitment event on September 12, from 1-6 p.m. at the Deschutes County Road Department office (61150 SE 27th Street) in Bend. Prospective firefighters will be able to talk to current staff, learn about benefits and get help with the application process. 

BEND, OR -- Oregon State University offers tours of its Bend campus in a series of events, starting Friday. Christine Coffin, with OSU-Cascades, says it's an extension of a pilot program tested in April, "We offered a classroom session, where we shared the history of the campus, how it came about, going back 40 years; the community support. And then, described the academic programs and how they came about, the research and researchers." 

Groups then tours Tykeson and Edward J Ray Halls, "Along the way, you'll see several of our 40 pieces of public art that are on the campus, and then also, depending on the weather and the state of the construction, you might take a van tour to see some of the land remediation that's underway. Or, you might take a walking tour of the site. But either way, there's a lot to discover."

Tours are for groups of 12-24 people, occurring monthly, typically on the fourth Friday, from 10:30 a.m. to noon, "We have always, of course, offered tours for students and prospective students and parents," says Coffin, "But what we've realized along the way is the community has invested so much in bringing a university campus to Central Oregon, and they're also invested in seeing it thrive, that they're very interested in seeing what's under the hood." She tells KBND News, "It's kind of us living out our land grant mission and really connecting with the community."

Advance online reservations are required. Click HERE for more information.

BEND, OR -- Thanks to cooler, wetter weather, federal public lands in Central Oregon moved to Industrial Fire Precaution Level III Friday morning. "And that just pertains to folks that are wanting to go out there and get their own personal firewood for the winter, and whatnot," says Celeste Prescott, with the Central Oregon Fire Management Service (COFMS), "But those require very precise times and locations that you can go get them." She tells KBND News, "Yes, we're going to let folks go out there and start getting into the forest a little bit more. But we need them to be really cautious."

The fire danger rating also recently reduced from Extreme to High, "Just because they're not extreme anymore does not mean there's not a lot of fire danger and possibility out there." Her tempered optimism is necessary because, she says, wildland fire crews are exhausted. They're spread out all over the state and they welcome the break in the weather, but they also worry about the possibility of more lightning this weekend. "Right now we're seeing a lull," says Prescott, "But I would not be surprised at all if we don't see some of these danger rating levels and what not go back up, if we get into another hot dry period. It's only the middle of August. August is definitely still fire season."

She says Mother Nature has given fire managers and forecasters a few curveballs this season, which is not following historical patterns, "We're going back into a little warmer weather, it looks like, next week, so if we get any lightning over this weekend, with some of these storms that are predicted, we could be chasing new lightning starts once they dry out and a little wind gets on them. So, we definitely don't need any new human-caused starts to add to that." She adds, "Going into this weekend, don't get too complacent. Yeah we got a little rain, the temperatures are a little cooler. But we need them to just stay FireWise about it all."

If you're heading into the forest, Prescott urges you to check restrictions in the area you plan to visit, "We still do have a Stage Two fire restriction in place, so that means that all open fires are prohibited, including wood stoves, charcoal briquette fires, all of those things, including in developed campgrounds."

She says local wildfire crews responded to several small fires in the past couple of days, including a car fire that spread to vegetation east of Redmond, Thursday. ]

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County staff have new rules for using artificial intelligence in their work. "AI is out there, it has been out there for a long time," says County IT Director Tania Mahood, "And yes, county employees are using it."

The new policy includes a training requirement for any county worker wanting to use generative AI. There are also privacy and security restrictions. And, perhaps most importantly, it mandates human verification to prevent bias and misinformation, "AI can be wrong. We recognize that and we understand it. But it can also be really helpful," says Mahood, "So I think, with our policy, it does say you have to review this content, once it gets generated. And you then take it and utilize it, you have to look at this; you have to review it. You have to validate that. So that is protecting us in the way of making sure that the content that comes out is actually going to be right, whether it was generated by AI to start with, what comes out and ends up - wherever that is; whether that's in an email, memo, whatever it is - that it is correct."

She tells KBND News it's important to create guardrails for new technology, "It is interesting and cool and innovative, and it might make you more efficient or be helpful in your role. But just make sure you're being safe and secure. I think the training's there, we've got curious people. I have not experienced any resistance. So, I think we're on the right path."

Mahood says it's hard to know just how widespread AI use is in county offices. So far, the only county-approved AI systems are ChatGPT and Microsoft's Copilot. She says the county is not yet using AI tools to interact with the public. If that is proposed in the future, she says there will be a public discussion and a revision to the policy. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners have again denied a request to open a psilocybin service center at Juniper Preserve, formerly Pronghorn. The applicant had appealed a hearings officer's determination that the BLM could revoke its right-of-way agreement, which allows access to the resort.

Psilocybin is illegal at the federal level and not allowed on federal land. Commissioner Tony DeBone says it's too big of a risk, "It boils down to the fact that we don't have the same situation as Marijuana had the Cole Memo at the federal level. So, I do support the fact that this is a reason to deny." Commissioner Patti Adair agreed, "It would seem appropriate at this time to uphold the hearings officer decision. I just, I can't see any other way. And we did receive a letter from the BLM stating that issue, quite a few months ago."

Commissioner Phil Chang was the only vote against the denial, Wednesday, saying the BLM isn't preventing psilocybin shipments elsewhere, "There's psilocybin being transported across federal land, all over the state of Oregon. I mean, you can't come over the mountains without going across federal land - Forest Service land, BLM land." He added, "If the federal government is not stepping in in all of those cases and asserting federal controlled-substance law and detaining people who are transporting that material, I don't see a real threat of BLM revoking the right of way."

Chang now wants more work on the county's existing psilocybin rules, "Now that the discussion of the application is done, we can step to the bigger policy discussion, which is that the voters of Deschutes County directed the Board of Commissioners twice, through their votes, to provide access to psilocybin services in the unincorporated county." Because of our region's high concentration of federal land, Chang says Commissioners need to figure out how to accommodate contradicting state and federal laws.

BEND, OR -- Mt. Bachelor is among a handful of ski resorts POWDR intends to sell. The company announced Thursday morning it has already signed an agreement to sell Killington Ski Resort in Vermont. In addition to the Bend's Mt. Bachelor, POWDR says it intends to sell Eldora Mountain in Colorado and SilverStar Mountain Resort in British Columbia. The Bend sale will include the Sun Country Tours rafting outfit. JP Morgan will advise the process.

Local managers do not expect any changes to products, roles or operations at Mt. Bachelor for the upcoming winter season and they intend to operate "business as usual" to open the resort for skiing and riding on November 29, 2024. 

POWDR currently owns 10 ski areas in the U.S. and Canada and plans to retain Snowbird in Utah, Copper Mountain in Colorado and the Woodward brand, which includes several properties. 

BEND, OR -- Drivers will see more changes this week for the Bend North Corridor Improvement Project. The first takes place Thursday night.

“Coming from Empire and you want to go up to the shopping center instead of having to go on Highway 20 all the way around to Robal, that's been a detour, there's a new connector road, you can go straight on to 97 business right there without having to go all the way around,” ODOT’s Kacey Davey says work on the massive traffic re-route is almost finished, “It's actually going to be done by the end of this year. And after we make these changes this coming weekend, we're really starting to wrap things up. There'll be some repaving and everything that's happening on the old (Highway) 97 which we now call Business 97 or 3rd Street. We're getting pretty close.”

The 3rd Street to westbound U.S. 20 bridge will be closed this coming weekend starting Friday at 8 p.m. While crews work on this bridge, the southbound section of Business 97 that passes underneath it must be closed for safety. Both sections of road will reopen by Monday morning August 26 at 5 a.m.  U.S. 20 westbound traffic will detour using the new connector road from 3rd Street, continue north on U.S. 97 Business/3rd Street and turn left at Cooley Road to get back to Highway 20.?

Drivers are handling the massive traffic re-route better than they were a month ago. “As people get used to navigating these new roads and how to get around. There's been less and less U turns. We still get reports of some of them happening. People haven't been through the area yet but, you know, if you do miss your turn or whatever, go to the next exit, it's so much safer than trying to turn around right in the middle of a highway,” Davey says.

Signs will be placed along all of the routes showing motorists where they need to detour to make it to their destination.

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon's Community College Board of Directors has finalized its job description and hiring plan for the next school president. Board Chair Laura Craska Cooper is pleased with the current timeline. At Tuesday's meeting, she said, "From looking at the calendar of the last three searches that I've been involved with here, we are ahead of that on all of them. Which is great because it's a really competitive field."

They've narrowed down preferred qualifications, including experience leading a multi-campus school and making data-driven decisions. Board member Erin Foote-Morgan says other soft-skills are also needed, "Whoever comes has some experience in leading or participating in institutional growth around diversity, equity and belonging. That's a tough space if you don't have any experience in that work, to lead on that work."

The board agreed to create a 16-member committee, composed of COCC students and faculty, other local education leaders and workforce development experts.

Preston Pulliams is again helping COCC recruit candidates for the position. He says he's already talking to potential applicants, "Once it's listed on my website as a pending search, we start getting calls right away, for this particular job. And that's, by the way, good news."

He told the board, "Usually, I would expect anywhere from 40 to 50 applications for this particular job. As we work through those, we work with the committee to select anywhere from eight or nine, perhaps even 10 to be considered as semi-finalists." Those semi-finalists would then participate in virtual interviews, "The committee sits through those and at the end of those, again we gather again to determine of that group, who would we like to be considered, and advise and recommend to the board as finalists." Pulliams suggests they interview at least three finalists, "When you get to this competitive group, they may be in other searches and you may lose one along the way." 

The board hopes to make an offer to their top candidate early next year. Dr. Laurie Chesley became COCC's sixth President in 2019 and plans to retire next June.

REDMOND, OR -- A team of young builders from the Heart of Oregon Corps and the affordable housing nonprofit First Story team up for a special one-day Blitz Build on Wednesday, "They're going to come together and build five more sleeping units for Oasis Village," says First Story Executive Director Claire Duncan, "So, currently there are 15 sleeping units, and we're going to provide five more units." 

She tells KBND News working with young adults benefits Oasis Village and the construction industry, "They're going to get this skill that translates into a future for them when they get out of the program. And for us, that's really exciting because we need as many young people as we can getting into a trade that produces housing."

Duncan says Heart of Oregon and First Story have partnered many times, but this is their first one-day Blitz. The same YouthBuild team has been working on a new home on the south end of Bend since February, "They've been involved in many aspects of the construction, because it's a learning opportunity. The home's like an experiential learning site for these youth to gain the necessary construction skills to get a job in a construction trade when they graduate from the YouthBuild program." That home should be complete in November, and will be turned over to a family who qualified for a zero-percent, zero-down home loan.

For Oasis Village, Duncan says they'll have extra help, "In addition, this YouthBuild is hosting another YouthBuild from out of the area, and we've invited them to join us, to really experience this opportunity. So we're going to have 40 youth joining about 60 [Hayden Homes and First Story] employees, so we'll have a hundred total guests on site, working on the units."

She admits building five cottages in a day is a big undertaking, and says it wouldn't be possible without help from the private sector, "We have a generous donation from the Parr Company of their truly revolutionary framing product called Opti-Frame. And, it's not only more affordable, precise, eco-friendly, it is fast." She says, "At the Blitz Build, all the lumber is pre-cut, it's all pre-measured, it's all labeled. You literally almost build by numbers."

The units will be built at the Heart of Oregon Redmond campus, which is down the street from Oasis Village. Duncan says they'll be moved to the shelter later this year, once finish work is complete. 

Photo: YouthBuild members work on a home for First Story on the south end of Bend, earlier this year. Courtesy of First Story.

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team ended a short-term investigation with the arrest of a 54-year-old Bend man. Drug agents say they saw a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot near Third Street and Mervin Samples Road Tuesday. They believed it was involved in a drug transaction and recognized the man from previous investigations. 

CODE detectives and Bend Police then contacted the suspect, Rory Camacho, while parked at a nearby storage facility. A drug detection K9 alerted to the presence of a controlled substance in the vehicle and the storage unit where the car was parked. 

After obtaining a search warrant, authorities found a commercial quanitity of meth and a double-edged "switch-blade" knife. Camacho was arrested and charged with unlawful possession and attempt to distribute meth, and being a felon in possession of a dangerous weapon. 

BEND, OR -- Central Oregon Community College expects to see more students this fall. "The total headcount, so that's credit and noncredit, is up about 11%. That's compared to last year at this time. So that will fluctuate until we actually start fall," says COCC's Kayleen Schweitzer. "It's hard to know exactly why those numbers are up, but we did have an increase in new students last year, so the population of continuing students is up around 19%. So, that alone is going to add a lot more enrollment."

There's also been an effort to connect with what's known as "stopout" students, "So these are students who are registered, completed a class or dropped their course and didn't return," says Schweitzer, "That's up around 28%. So just a new way to outreach towards those students is really helping in bringing people back." Other categories have also risen, "Students over 40 are currently up over 30%. And then, we always continue to evaluate and create new degrees [and] certificates to meet the needs of our community and the students. This year, we're adding medical coding, STEM in early learning and automotive maintenance and light repair certificate."

For those hoping to live on campus, she suggests applying now, "Wickiup Hall still has space. We do encourage, again, to go ahead and apply for that sooner than later, so the student can make sure to be done with that before they start classes."

The deadline to enroll in fall term is September 15.

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, OR -- Jefferson County is still trying to figure out how to handle a $1.8 million property tax overpayment made last year by Portland General Electric. It was caused by a calculation error related to the utility's Round Butte hydro plant (pictured).

Joe Costigan is the Treasurer for the Crooked River Ranch Rural Fire Protection District board, "From the best that we can determine, we received no financial benefit from the PGE taxes that were paid for the 2023-2024 fiscal year." CRRRFPD's budget comes mostly from bonds and levies paid by people living in the Ranch, "By in large, we get about $1.2 million in taxpayer money." He says some funds also come from user fees, like for ambulance service. But none of its budget is from county coffers.

Despite not receiving any of the PGE money, Costigan says the county has asked for help recouping the funds, "It's between $55 and $56,000 that they are asking Crooked River Ranch Fire to pay back to the county." He believes a 1974 court ruling should be revisited. It says large discrepancies can be spread across all taxing districts, even those that didn't benefit, "And that was back when taxes were done manually, on cue cards and carbon paper, and they didn't have the benefit of spreadsheets and computers and everything else."

Costigan says, "We have been very good stewards of the public's money. We do have reserves for emergencies. We can pay this. But when we pay that, that means it affects other line items that we may not be able to do."

PGE has invited representatives from the county and the taxing districts to a meeting later this week. "We're optimistic that there's going to be - maybe not the end resolution, but certainly that meeting will help move toward lessening the impact," says Costigan.

DIAMOND LAKE, OR -- The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has identified the man presumed drowned in Diamond Lake as 37-year-old Chimanbai Patel, of Bend. Just after 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Douglas County 911 received a report of a man who jumped off a pontoon boat into the water to go for a swim. Shortly after, he went under and never resurfaced. 

Marine deputies, the Douglas County Sheriff's Officd Dive Team, Search and Rescue members from Douglas and Klamath counties and State Police have all joined the recovery effort. Monday, a dog trained in water recovery was deployed. But, as of Monday evening, he remains missing. 

REDMOND, OR -- An 18-year-old Redmond man faces numerous charges, after police say he stole a Chevy Suburban and crashed it through two fences, a carport and a shed.

Investigators believe George Sikes was behind the wheel when the SUV crashed into a property on SW Volcano Avenue, just before 5 a.m. Sunday. They later determined he was impaired at the time.

He’s accused of DUII, reckless driving, possession of a stolen vehicle and multiple other charges.

SUNRIVER, OR -- After six years of planning and almost a year of renovations, the Sunriver Library reopens to the public Tuesday. Deschutes Public Library Director Todd Dunkelberg says the original facility was built in 1998, "And, actually, as we got in to renovate it, we became even more aware of why it needed to be renovated. There were some conditions in there that we definitely needed to fix; some we didn't know about. We had a lot of birds nesting inside the building."

He tells KBND News, "That building has always been kind of a challenge for us, the way it was laid out. It really wasn't designed with its own children's area. And, since we build that building, over 25 years ago, the number of families with kids has definitely grown in that area. So, we're really excited. Now, it has a very distinct children's area." Dunkelberg says there are also dedicated study rooms and other new amenities, "We were able to reconfigure the public gathering space, so it's part of the main library now, and is easily accessible. And really just made for a much more efficient lay-out of the building."

And, there is quite a bit of new infrastructure. Dunkelberg says, "It's not the most exciting part of all this, but really, getting in there and replacing all the air conditioning and heating units, the water boilers, just everything so that we know that building is going to be highly functional, at least for the next 25 years."

The project was paid for through a bond passed by voters in 2020. 

This week is more of a soft opening, with more to come next month, "We are planning for a big celebration on September 14th for a grand opening." That ribbon cutting event at the Sunriver Library is from noon to 2pm, and also includes live music and a balloon artist.

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, OR -- A person shot in the head over the weekend in Crooked River Ranch is expected to survive, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies responded to a 911 call Saturday afternoon, when someone reported a person was shot at a home on SW Ridge Place. When they arrived, just after 3:15, they say the victim walked out of the house under their own power and was taken to St. Charles Bend.

Authorities determined the suspected shooter was still barricaded inside. The Central Oregon Emergency Response TEAM, known as CERT, responded to the scene. According to Sheriff Jason Pollock, the suspect surrendered without incident after CERT arrived in a SWAT vehicle.

SISTERS, OR -- A coalition of state and federal agencies and local conservation groups wants to build new wildlife crossings over Highway 20, between Bend and the Sisters area. Between 350 and 600 deer and elk are killed every year along that stretch, by vehicle strikes.

Rachel Wheat, with Oregon's Department of Fish and Wildlife, says research pointed to 11 potential locations, but they hope to start with just four, "We've selected these four structures near the community of Black Butte as priorities for construction, primarily because of the amount of activity for Rocky Mountain Elk in that region." She tells KBND News, "We have a large elk herd that is continually crossing US 20 around those locations. Obviously, that's a significant issue for both elk and motorists. So these four structures in sequence are going to provide the best increase in connectivity for elk in this area, as well as reducing the risk to the traveling public."

The effort is led by Central Oregon Landwatch, and also involves the Oregon Department of Transportation, among others. ODOT's Cidney Bowman says her agency wants to help because it'll improve driver safety, "A large number of wildlife vehicle collisions in our state, in the range of 6 to 7,000 a year, depending on population counts. And those cause serious injuries, sometimes fatalities. Wildlife passage is a win-win, where it does get drivers to where they want to go safely, and it also gets animals where they need to go."

Bowman admits it will be an expensive project, "I'm guessing between $60 and $80 million. We're hoping there's some savings by grouping projects, but it's a big number." She says the goal is to start with a grant for the design phase, "There right now is a federal wildlife crossing pilot program grant opportunity. Next year's the last year the funding is available." But she's optimistic the program will be extended. 

Undercrossings, like what ODOT built near Sunriver, are cheaper. But ODFW's Wheat says an overpass is more effective, "Definitely, research has indicated that the overpasses tended to be more attractive to a greater diversity of species." She says elk are especially partial to bridges because they provide better visibility. 

BEND, OR -- A home in the Woodriver Village neighborhood of southwest Bend was heavily damaged by fire early Monday morning. Bend Fire and Rescue responded to Cherrywood Lane just before 2 a.m. and found flames coming from the attic. They were able to stop the blaze from spreading into the living area.

According to fire investigators, the origin was traced back to an improperly disposed of cigarette on the back patio. The cigarette butt was in a flower planter next to the house, igniting the dry potting soil and wood planter. Flames spread to the exterior of the home and then into the attic. Because the fire and smoke was contained to the attic, the smoke alarms never alerted. The woman asleep inside woke up to the sound of crackling and noticed an orange glow outside. She evacuated with her dog and called 911. 

Damages are estimated at around $100,000. Crews had to pull most of the ceiling and insulation down to make sure the fire was completely out, although much of the woman's belongings were spared fire damage. Fire authorities say her renter's insurance should help cover replacement costs of damaged items. The Red Cross is helping provide her with a place to stay for a couple of nights.

BEND, OR -- A 66-year-old southwest Bend man was arrested for attempted murder early Sunday, after he admitted to hitting his roommate in the head with a bat. Timothy Boyd called 911 just after 5 a.m. and reported the assault to the dispatcher.

When Police arrived at the home on Arrow Wood Drive, they found Boyd’s 58-year-old roommate with a severe head injury. He was taken by ambulance to St. Charles, where he remains in Intensive Care. B

oyd was taken into custody without incident. In addition to Attempted Murder, he's charged with Assault and Unlawful Use of a Weapon

BEND, OR -- The state's new Poet Laureate is a woman well-known in Central Oregon literary circles, who looks forward to sharing her voice west of the Cascades.

Governor Tina Kotek named Ellen Waterston Oregon's eleventh Poet Laureate. "It is funded by the Oregon Cultural Trust and it is administered by Oregon Humanities," says Waterston, "All of which underscores this wonderful web of support of the arts in the state of Oregon, and particularly the literary arts." She'll spend the next two years attending readings and events across the state, and spreading the power of the written word, "Meet with high school students and community members and engage them in poetry. It's not so much talking at them, as really working with them."

Nearly all of Oregon's 10 other Poet Laureates are from the Willamette Valley or coast. "We have an amazing number of amazing poets in Oregon, so I'm astounded and surprised and honored and also feel like, 'okay, I've got to earn this.'" Waterston says, "And, I think that it's an opportunity for the western side of the state to hear some of the eastern voices, some of the rural voices."

Waterston founded the Bend-based nonprofit The Nature of Words and the subsequent Desert Writing Prize, along with the for-profit Writing Ranch. She tells KBND News this year she's experienced a surprising trifecta, "I was awarded the Stewart H. Holbrook Award for literary arts, the Bread and Roses Award from Soapstone, and now the Poet Laureate, in 2024. OK. I wasn't born yesterday, literally, as I've joked to friends. They either think I'm about to die or, as my father said, 'if you paddle in milk long enough it turns to cream.'" She adds, "I want to bring that message: 'don't give up on your passion,' to the students, to anybody that I meet with. Do not give up on your passion, ever. You just don't know what's at work."

Waterston's poems have appeared in anthologies and journals, been featured on Writer's Almanac and landed her numerous fellowships, grants and residencies. A new collection of her essays will be published this fall. 

"The Oregon Poet Laureate is designed to encourage the art of poetry, literacy and learning, address central issues relating to humanities and heritage, and reflects on public life in Oregon," says the Oregon Cultural Trust, "Waterston will provide at least 10 public readings per yearacross the state."

Ellen Waterston portrait by Scott Nelson

BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools officials say the district is working to keep textbooks out of the landfill. They ended up with an overabundance after the district adopted a new reading curriculum.

A Vancouver, WA recycling company has a facility capable of processing the books, and Republic Services offered to transport the material from Bend to The Paper People. Students, custodians and other staff packed it all up at the end of last school year and the district reports it’s all been delivered to Vancouver.

They estimate the effort diverted 66 cubic yards of books from the Knott Landfill.

Submitted photos

REDMOND, OR -- Gary Hewit, Executive Director for the local nonprofit St. Vincent De Paul, was arrested this week for possession and delivery of methamphetamine. According to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, Hewitt's arrest by the Street Crimes Unit concludes a short term investigation into the distribution of commercial quantities of meth in Redmond.

Detectives believe Hewitt sold meth from his home, which is within a thousand feet of two Redmond schools. They executed a search warrant at his house and say they located a large amount of meth, scales, packaging materials and cash. 

He was taken into custody Thursday.

file photo

BEND, OR -- Two state lawmakers from central and southern Oregon met in Bend this week with insurance agents and brokers to discuss the impact of wildfire risk on homeowners' policies. Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang organized the meeting of about 15 people, which also included fire experts and city officials, talking about the issue with Rogue Valley State Senator Jeff Golden and Central Oregon State Representative Emerson Levy.

Chang tells KBND News he wants to lead a statewide effort to make sure Oregonians in high fire-risk areas maintain their homeowners insurance, "We live in a fire prone environment. Insurers are responding to that by withdrawing coverage, increasing premiums. So, we need to acknowledge that we live in a fire-prone environment. But we also need to recognize that there are real things that we can do to reduce the probability of people's homes being destroyed in a fire." Those steps include reducing fire fuels and creating defensible space. "We need to get our community and our homeowners to do those things," says Chang, "But more importantly, from the perspective of this meeting, we need to get the insurance industry to recognize and give credit for those actions."

Chang says agents told the group they've been forced to raise rates or drop policies because of previous losses, "The insurance rate increases and coverage withdrawals that we've witnessed over the last couple of years are not the result of the state wildfire hazard maps. They are all about the insurance industry really recognizing an increasing risk in our communities across Oregon." He adds, "They really emphasized how much the catastrophic losses from the Labor Day 2020 fires are playing themselves out, financially, right now. I mean, these insurance carriers, they lost millions and millions and millions of dollars."

Mortgage lenders require properties to be insured and Chang says he's heard of instances where policies were dropped after the owner secured a mortgage, forcing the bank to call in the note, and leaveing the owner with a massive bill. 

He hopes to host another meeting before the 2025 legislative session. Chang is pushing for lawmakers to approve a pilot program to certify entire neighborhoods that reduce wildfire fuels and create defensible space. He says it's not enough for just one or two properties to take precautions, "If a fire finds a suitable place to grow big and nasty on your neighbor's property, it's going to catch your house on fire, regardless of how much good work you've done." He believes such a program could then be used by insurers to reduce premiums. 

BEND, OR -- The new school year is just a few weeks away and Bend Police want drivers thinking now about the change in traffic patterns. "When school starts, that means school zones are back in, and our officers will be out patrolling those school zones," says Bend PD's Sheila Miller. In Bend, there are three types of zones where drivers must slow to 20 miles per hour, "We have the flashing yellow lights that got added a couple years ago, so that's for little portions of the day where you need to slow to 20. Then we have the ones that say, 'when children are present' and you'd better be able to figure that out on your own. And then, there's also those ones that run from 7-5, typically and it's during those hours you need to slow to 20."

Miller urges drivers to also be ready for an increase in walkers, bikers and even scooter riders, especially around schools, "We really ask drivers - you shouldn't need another excuse but put your phone down, look around you and be an active participant in your drive."

And, for those kids who do manage their own transportation to know they bear some responsibility for their own safety, "Make sure they understand crosswalk safety, that they're wearing their helmets, all of that good stuff. Also good to remember that Bend-La Pine Schools did ban e-bikes and e-scooters for anyone under the age of 16." That means e-scooters are not allowed at any elementary or middle schools. 

Traffic safety isn't Miller's only back-to-school concern, "When school starts, kids are often spending a lot more time on the internet, and so it's a really good time to talk to your kids about internet safety and about the rules around tech in your home and what the expectations are, just to keep kids safe on the internet."

Parents posting first day photos on social media are also urged not to give away too much identifiable information, like the student's age, school and teachers. It all can be used by criminals for what Miller calls unsavory purposes, "We love to see your pictures, we want to see your first day photos. But be protective of your kids' information."

SUNRIVER, OR -- Students in the Sunriver and Three Rivers area could have a new after-school option this Fall.

Campfire Central Oregon currenlty offers an everyday after-school program at two Bend schools. "We're looking to expand that to the third site at Three Rivers Elementary. It would be the same model of what we use in Bend offering care five days a week after school longer on Wednesdays. All of our Bend sites are about 40 kids each site. So, it would be very similar to what we're doing in Bend. But the hope is to get that five-days-a-week program running down there, we are also looking at doing full day, no-school day-camps."

Program Director Melanie Feltmate says the program will fill an after-school childcare gap, "A lot of it will depend on demand as well as space and staffing, but we're going to start with 30 make sure we have a really solid program. And as soon as we are able to accommodate more kids, we are going to continue to try to meet that need."

And they need employees. "We are actively hiring right now. We are looking for a coordinator, to be managing the after-school program. And then we're also looking for part time staff to help run the program in after school hours," Feltmate says, adding part time hours are very flexible, and they would like to see people apply even if they can only work a short schedule or fill-in. All positions and hiring details can be found on Camp Fire's job webpage.

The program's first day is slated for Monday, September 9^th.

REDMOND, OR -- The plan is firming up on the managed camp for Redmond's unhoused population. "We're hoping to get that managed camp underway next spring with construction. We've identified sites, gravel, parking, trash, porta-potties, water, etcetera," Mayor Ed Fitch says the city is working with the county, and gathering input from service providers, "I think there's a couple of hundred homeless in the Redmond area, they would probably be given an opportunity but they can't stay where they are. And so, they're either going to have to choose that location or they're going to have to move elsewhere."

Fitch tells KBND News there is at least one major hurdle to establishing and running a camp, "It's a question of funding. And, so that's, I'm sure, going to be a hot topic for the 2025 legislature."

The proposed site, near the Oasis Village camp in southeast Redmond will be accessed by a new build out of 21^st Street. "It's really necessary so that we can have a safe facility for people to move to from the streets of Northeast Redmond, as well as off the 120 acres the county owns which they want to exchange with the Department of State lands," Fitch says.

Road construction should start in February or March 2025.

BEND, OR -- Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler delivers the State of the City address Thursday evening, during CityFest, "Which is going to be a great event down at the Ninth Street Village, which is where Bevel Brewing is, down at Wilson and Ninth." She tells KBND News, "We're going to have city booths with all of our departments, we're going to have all the small businesses out being showcased. I'm going to give the State of the City speech around 5:30."

All of City Council is expected to attend, and be available to talk with the public. There will also be music, family-friendly events and a chance to check out fire vehicles.

Sheila Miller says Bend Police officers will also be on hand, "We'll just kind of talk about issues that people might see and we'll hand out some swag, and have a good time just celebrating our community." She adds, "Having an opportunity to see officers when it's not an emergency, or when officers aren't doing their full time job, which is keeping our community safe, it's a good opportunity to remember that they're just like us. They're humans and they like to have fun and will enjoy being at this type of event."

CityFest is Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at 911 SE Armour Rd. Ninth will close between Wilson and Woodland during that time for the festivities. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County's District Attorney is optimistic new state funds will help curb organized retail theft. D.A. Steve Gunnels says groups of thieves enter stores, load up carts with merchandise and walk out without paying. ?"It's really a big problem for retailers. It's a problem for people who shop at retail stores, which is all of us, because that kind of activity drives the prices up for everybody."

But the incidents are more than just a blight on the retailer's bottom line, "There are a lot of situations where if the store tries to intervene, there could be violence with people who just want to get away with their stolen property and people can get hurt."

As KBND News first reported last week, Gunnels' office was awarded a nearly $18,000 grant from Oregon's Criminal Justice Commission to provide training and resources for local businesses through the end of the year. "It's a small grant, but it's important to get some funding to help with the time and some of the materials that we'll be distributing to the local retailers," says Gunnels. "It's basically for flyers, for materials that we would hand out to stores to kind of identify ways to reduce this threat to their wellbeing, their bottom line." Gunnels had asked for $50,000. The Criminal Justice Commission says he can apply for the remainder in January.

Gunnels tells KBND News local businesses look forward to receiving help, "Retailers are receptive. I've spoken to Loss Prevention about the issue and they're all over it. They really want to get on top of it, because when they see it happen, sometimes they see it happening in hindsight, when they're reviewing surveillance footage from inside their store. And once people get away, there sometimes isn't a lot that they or police can do about it."

He urges shoppers not to attempt to intervene, if they see a person or a group of people shoplifting, "Reach out to store employees, who can get in touch with their risk management or their loss prevention, and then contact the police."

BEND, OR -- The High Desert Museum has been awarded a large federal grant to create a learning hub for children, families and community groups. "The museum is planning an expansion, to grow along with our amazing community," says Executive Director Dana Whitelaw, "And part of that expansion is doubling our classroom space, our learning spaces. This $238,000 will be part of that project." She tells KBND News, "We'll be able to double the size of our kids camps in the summers, we have K-12 classes all year long, we do teacher professional development workshops, we're part of a four-year National Science Foundation study on how to bring the best STEM - Science Technology Engineering and Math - workshops to families in rural areas." Completion of the expansion is likely a couple of years away. 

Whitelaw says the last major renovation was in the late 90's, "The museum has always been looking ahead: what is our community going to need now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now? And what do we need to be doing now to make sure that we stay that relevant and catalyzing resource for Central Oregon." She tells KBND News the museum has again outgrown its facility, "It opened in 1982, when Bend had 17,000 people here. We have three classrooms that, right as I'm speaking, have three amazing groups of kids campers in them." The museum just hit a new attendance record with almost 225-thousand visitors a year.

The High Desert Museum is the only Oregon facility outside Portland to receive this round of funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. OMSI and the Portland Art Museum were also awarded grants. "These are very competitive grants and to have three of Oregon's cultural anchors receive about $750,000 is a badge of honor for the museum sector in this state," says Whitelaw.

REDMOND, OR -- Oregon is distributing millions of dollars for opioid treatment centers. The money comes from the Opioid Settlement with the pharmaceutical industry. The latest allocation is $1.25 million to open a medication-assisted treatment center in Redmond. 

Kelsey Smith Payne, with the Oregon Health Authority, says a clinic in Bend sees patients from Madras and Prineville, "The plan was to open a medication unit in Redmond, so Redmond could utilize and share staff with the Bend site." She adds, "It's to address the opioid and overdose across the continuum; so prevention, treatment, harm reduction, recovery." The clinic could start seeing patients this fall. "It's shovel ready, this is ready to go," says Smith Payne, "Just looking for the staffing costs. We estimated for about a year-and-a-half and then, again, it's sustainable."

The goal is to reduce travel time, which has been found to be one reason people stop seeking treatment. David Hart, with the Oregon Department of Justice, says it's a good use for the money, "The fact that it's shovel ready, the fact that it's sustainable, that it's a proven intervention; one of the most effective out there."

State Alcohol and Drug Policy Commission member Fernando Pená says this is exactly what the settlement money is supposed to be for, "We agreed at the beginning of this whole board that our primary objective was to save lives and this is literally a life saving program." He adds, "We could always fund other things to increase access to care and this is a quick and easy one that's in front of us and we'll have more money coming real soon to talk about other projects."

Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties are the fastest growing in the state, so the committee hope the additional facility will help manage the demand.

BEND, OR -- Envision Bend continues its Vision Roadshow next week, with a community meeting on one Action Plan point, Expanding Access to Childcare.

"Childcare, often times people think of infants to age five,  preschool or before kindergarten. But really childcare extends all the way through school ages. And the before and after school care is critical to this conversation," Executive Director Matt Muchna says the lack of childcare for all ages hinders Central Oregon's growth, "Many working families aren't able to stay in the region. They can't find childcare; they can't find the support they need to stay and afford living in this region. And I think because of that, it's one of the key issues impacting our economy and also the livability of our region."

He tells KBND News the Vision Roadshow is intended to spark a conversation, "Where are we at and what do we need to move forward and what aren't we doing? And, what are some key metrics we can use to understand if we are actually making progress on this complex issue. We're going to be hearing from partners from NeighborImpact and also from the Boys and Girls club of Bend. Just some updates on their work."

The community is invited to provide input and suggestions at the free, family-friendly event. The meeting is Tuesday, August 20th at the Downtown Bend Library from 5 to 6:30 PM.

BEND, OR -- Bend Fire and Rescue credits working smoke alarms for saving a woman and her two dogs from a house fire, early Wednesday morning. She awoke to the alarms at about 1 a.m., grabbed her pets and evacuated.

Firefighters arrived on NE Penn to find the home’s basement fully involved, with flames coming through the sliding glass door. They were able to hold the fire in the basement.

Losses are estimated at around $95,000. The woman said she accidentally left a candle burning on a wooden table, which is believed to have caused the fire.

BEND, OR -- St. Charles Health System and The Center remain in a holding pattern, after the Oregon Health Authority denied a request to fast-track their integration plan. A bill passed by the 2021 legislature requires the OHA to approve such deals, but St. Charles CEO Dr. Steve Gordon says it was intended to protect consumers against large corporate take-overs, "I think this is the kind of situation that should call into question an unintended consequence of a far-reaching act of legislation, and whether just a fresh re-evaluation might be wise." He says it's the first time the "fast-track" exemption has been tested.

Dr. Gordon tells KBND News, "Legislation that was intended to deal with very large corporate entities is now being applied to a situation where regular citizens are at risk. Even though the legislation was intended to protect consumers." He says the deal is necessary to shore up orthopedic services in Central Oregon. According to St. Charles, a typical orthopedic patient needing joint replacement, currently waits six months for the initial consultation and another six months for surgery. "We have a lot of folks frustrated with how long it already takes to get an appointment," says Gordon, "And that's not going to be solved overnight. We have a growing population. We have a desire to grow and support the need. But first we need to stabilize services, and then we need to work with our colleagues to recruit and to grow. So, it may take some time to really work all this out and I ask for folks' patience, particularly since we can't get to the starting line until we get approval from the state." 

It's unclear how long the transaction will now take. "We are working constructively with the Health Authority, as we always do. It's hard to tell, It will definitely be at least several weeks; it could be months. It's really up to the authority as the regulatory body," says Gordon, "What we do know is their conventional review asks for at least six months to conduct that review prior to the targeted transaction date. That sounds too long from our perspective, but we just don't know quite yet, right now."

PRINEVILLE, OR -- An effort to preserve a piece of Central Oregon history is underway just off Highway 26, between Prineville and Madras. The Rimrock Springs Wildlife Management Area Field House is getting restored, with help from HistoriCorps. "It's a chance for the volunteers to learn about woodworking and historic preservation, and get to go to a new place and learn about the history of that place," says Anne Dowd, Crooked River National Grasslands Forest Archaeologist, Heritage and Tribal Relations Program Manager, "It's cheaper, but it's also a little more fun. And it provides educational opportunities for partner organizations, which is of course important too."
Dowd says the 640-square foot building went up in the mid-1930s, as part of a Depression-era work camp for what was then called the Farm Security Administration. But the location has a rich cultural history, "American Indian tribes have used this area near the springs for many thousands of years. After the homesteading period, federal agency management activities were focused in this area." Most recently, the building was a machine shop for the Grasslands.

It's being converted into an office space. "But the building's going to stay very much the same, just in good repair," Dowd tells KBND News, "So, it'll still have big, broad doors you can open up, and a cement floor and you can bring a vehicle in if you need to work on it." Over the next couple of years, the Grasslands will take additional steps to convert the area into a wild horse adoption center, "Creating good access to the property, and the different facilities such as corrals, and a place for a caretaker, some utilities work, to make it functioning for being able to bring horse trailers in and out."

Work on the restoration project is expected to wrap up this week. 

Photos courtesy of the Crooked River National Grasslands

BEND, OR -- The new school year is right around the corner, and a local credit union is asking for help outfitting kids with the necessary supplies.

Mid Oregon Credit Union's Kyle Frick says donations made during the annual Supplies For Schools Fundraiser are distributed through the Family Access Network, "They're a great organization. And what they do is they identify kids in schools that may not have the resources they need. I mean, teachers can refer kids to FAN that might not be people that are coming and asking for help, but they can see that they need help." He tells KBND News, "We have lots of people that are having to make really difficult choices with inflation and the cost of goods, and everything's going up. It's like, how do we give kids the things that they need to begin school and feel like they don't come into the classroom going, 'I don't have a notebook' or, 'I don't have the pencils that I need.'"

Donations of new supplies can be dropped off at any Mid Oregon branch through the end of the month; you don't have to be a credit union member. "We collect at each of our seven branches in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras, La Pine Sisters. But you can drop donations off there and we get them directly to FAN," says Frick, "Supplies that get donated in Madras, go to the Madras schools. Supplies in La Pine go to La Pine schools. So, we're really making sure that we're keeping them in the communities where they're donated."

Requested items include water bottles, backpacks, headphones and binders, "Lots of different things that they need. We have a list on our website, at MidOregon.com, of the items the students are looking for- what FAN has identified as the needs," says Frick. Monetary donations can also be made online. 

BEND, OR -- A small brush fire broke out along the Empire onramp to northbound Highway 97, Sunday afternoon. Bend Fire and Rescue received multiple calls just after 3 p.m.

When crews arrived, they discovered about a quarter-acre fire just east of the road, near the railroad tracks. They quickly stopped forward progress and say the fire didn’t jump the tracks, nor were any structures threatened. Train and vehicle traffic were both impacted during the firefight.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

REDMOND, OR -- Firefighters responded to a fire at a Redmond animal bedding company late Friday, after passersby spotted smoke coming from the back of the property. Crews responded to the manufacturing facility on Southeast First Street at about 10:30 p.m. and discovered fire inside an enclosed conveyor belt area and baghouse.

The sprinkler system prevented the flames from spreading to the main warehouse. Investigators determined it was caused by an overheated bearing on a roller in the conveyor belt, igniting wood dust.

SISTERS, OR -- A Salem man was arrested southeast Sisters Saturday. The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team suspects the 46-year-old has been transporting and distributing meth in our region.

Aaron Jossart was stopped near Cloverdale and Farthing Lane while riding a motorcycle. He has a suspended license and is on parole for delivery of methamphetamine. During a search, detectives say they found a large quantity of the drug, along with a scale and packaging material.

He’s accused of violating parole and driving while suspended, in addition to the drug-related felony charges.

BEND, OR -- The merger of St. Charles and The Center will not move as quickly as both health systems as hoped. As Willamette Week was first to report, the Oregon Health Authority has denied the request to fast-track the transaction.

KBND News has previously reported The Center supports the transaction, due to what it considers a serious financial hardship and an inability to adequately recruit and retain qualified staff. Employees of The Center are expected to shift to the St. Charles Health System payroll. 

Following the OHA's decision, St. Charles President and CEO Dr. Steve Gordon provided the following statement to KBND:

"This news is disappointing and concerning given the gravity of the situation, as we attempted to convey in our application. We will continue to work constructively with OHA to follow their established processes for review. At the same time, I believe this action raises serious questions regarding the HCMO Program itself and whether some sort of legislative reevaluation is merited."

SISTERS, OR -- A 23-year-old Sisters man was arrested for several weapons charges early Friday morning. Deschutes County deputies responded to multiple reports of gunfire in the area of West Felicity Lane, just before 12:30 a.m. While working to track down the location of the gunshots, they found Christopher Reese near the Pacific Pride gas station who had been involved in a bicycle crash. 

According to the Sheriff's Office, Reese admitted he was the owner of a handgun found on the sidewalk nearby. Deputies determined the man was intoxicated and say he admitted to firing the semi-automatic pistol several times into the ground as he rode his bike home from a bar. Witnesses also say the shooter appeared to only fire into the ground. 

Reese is accused of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, Rechkless Endangering and Driving Under the Influence. 

REDMOND, OR -- Beginning next month, all students in the Redmond School District and at Redmond Proficiency Academy will have access to free breakfast and lunch, thanks to a federal program. "There are so many benefits to doing this. Number one: we can feed each and every student that walks in our door," says MaryLou Chavira, the district's food program coordinator, "Sometimes the school meals are all they're going to get." She believes it will also improve the learning atmosphere, "Have you ever done something and you are hungry and you're angry or you can't concentrate, as an adult. And we can regulate ourselves, 'I know I'm hungry but I've got to get through this; press on.' But what about a third grader or an eleventh grader?"

The new program will be available to an estimated 8,000 students. Chavira tells KBND News not charging every child for a meal also streamlines the cafeteria line. "When you have 150 students coming through to get breakfast and they've got to remember their lunch card, in some schools, or remember their student ID number to punch it into the point of sale. You're trying to get them through in about 20 minutes and sometimes that's extremely difficult." She says it will benefit students and cafeteria staff, "More time to love on those kids as they come through that line, and send them off to class. Instead of, 'what was your number? What did you say? Can you spell that?' because you can't understand them sometimes."

Kids can't just grab anything, "One of the things they have to take is a fruit or a vegetable. They have to take three components at lunch time." The meal also includes one milk. Students who want just one item or something extra can still use their meal account for an additional purchase, and kids who prefer to bring a sack lunch from home can also continue. 

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes Historical Museum hosts its third annual Antique Fair this weekend. "We have antique vendors from around Central Oregon and the Valley come over and set up with all kinds of treasures that you didn't even know you needed," says Museum Director Kelly Cannon-Miller, "From things to help you decorate your house or just round out your collection. The first year we had it, a guy found a Six Million Dollar Man lunchbox. And that man's name was Steve Austin, the Six Million Dollar Man, and he was so happy." All items are pre-1970.   

The Central Oregon Genealogy Society will also be on hand to offer help to people pursuing family research. Cannon-Miller says, "Our own Friends of the Museum booth will be selling items. All the proceeds from that benefit the museum. So, it's a great way to support the museum, find a treasure." And, she says, "We also have an appraiser event from noon to three that you can get one item appraised for $5, the recommended donation for that."

The event is on the museum's front lawn in downtown Bend on Saturday, "Starting at nine a.m. until four p.m. And the appraisal event is noon to three, and that's first come, first served." Cannon-Miller tells KBND News, "It's a great day to come and just explore the vendors, listen to music - Jay Bowerman and Loren Irving will be playing a little bluegrass, explore the museum; the museum will be open for free during the event."

BEND, OR -- A traffic crash resulted in telephone and internet outages for some Central Oregonians. According to the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, a vehicle collided with a utility pole on Baker Road at noon, just west of Umatilla Circle, in Deschutes River Woods. The impact caused the pole to come down into the road. 

Century Link and TDS responded to repair their lines. Some repairs may not be complete for a few days. 

The driver was cited for Careless Driving. 

PENDLETON, OR -- A man convicted on Deschutes County child sex abuse charges died Wednesday, while in the custody of the Oregon Department of Corrections. Louis Apo was incarcerated at Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution. The 77-year-old man was receiving hospice care at an eastern Oregon hospital when he passed away. 

He was convicted of molesting multiple girls when he lived in La Pine. At the time of his 2019 arrest, he was living in Metolius. 

Apo had been in DOC custody since November of 2020. He was serving a 25-year sentence with the earliest release date of October of 2044. 

MADRAS, OR -- The Elk Lane Fire, burning west of Madras, is now 5,240 acres. Some evacuation levels have reduced, as crews reach 20% containment. 

At a virtual community meeting Wednesday night, Jefferson County Fire Chief Jeff Blake said the fire started outside the fire district an hour before nightfall Sunday, which gave them very little time to get their bearings, "That fire went from a single lightning strike fire to about 50 acres prior to our arrival. It started and occurred in an area that had burned previously, in 2014, and took that grass. It was a wind-driven fire and then went from 50 acres to a hundred acres to 200 acres, just at a snap of the fingers." He said, "We had fire pushing from all angles. We also did a burnout operation on Belmont Lane to protect; because we're trying to keep that fire in the box. Our crews spent a ton of time, a ton of effort and a ton of energy, and we had expended all of our local resources." That's when they asked for help from outside of Central Oregon, through the Conflagration Act, making this incident unique, "We've had them out in the Three Rivers area, we've had them out near Lake Billy Chinook, but we've never had a conflagration fire that's this close to our community of Madras."

Blake credits the state crews pre-positioned in Central Oregon over the weekend for keeping homes safe, "We've lost three trailers, one cargo trailer and one small outbuilding, but we have not lost any houses."

Luke Garcia, with fire operations, says they were able to attack it Monday from the air, "We re-engaged multiple aircraft, including large airtankers, single engine airtankers, heavy helicopters and scooper planes." He added everyone is prepared to stay as long as is necessary, "We do have two Hotshot crews working in the canyon to keep that in the canyon. They're working aircraft. We're committed to this fire, we're not going to walk away from it." Around 300 personnel are currently assigned to the fire.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Crook County Schools will not put a bond up for vote this November for building maintenance and repairs.

"I do think we need to go for May, disappointingly, because November is probably the better election. But reality is people are going to feel like they're being rushed and they're going to be right," School Board Vice Chair Scott Cooper said during Wednesday's meeting they would have more time to educate voters, and hopefully pass the bond if they wait until May, "You know, nobody loves floors and roofs and boilers, but floors and roofs and boilers are what we need. I don't see any reason to change the message." The district is looking at upgrades to several facilities. The board signaled they needed to prioritize that list for the bond measure proposal. "We should back up, agree to do whatever we're going to do in essential maintenance in May to do the proper education and the proper promotion, which our new superintendent is better positioned to do than what we've had before," Cooper advised the board.

That new superintendent, Dr. Melissa Skinner told the board she wants the message to be transparent to the community, "Any time there's money going out, any time that we are asking for anything or giving updates, we want to make sure that we are very clear and we communicate all of those projects effectively."

Skinner said she understands voters may be hesitant, in part due to past school spending, "We want to have a destination district. We want to give kids opportunities, but we have to be able to look at these maintenance items. And all I can do is moving forward. Say, 'what can we do?'"

Other projects under consideration include CTE programs, and upgrades for athletics and performing arts facilities.

Now the district will move forward with planning a bond for the May 2025 primary.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County has been awarded a nearly $18,000 state grant to crack down on organized retail theft.

District Attorney Steve Gunnels recently told County Commissioners it happens in every corner of the county: groups of people enter a store, spread out, fill carts with merchandise, then walk out. His office wants to start a training program for retailers and partner with law enforcement to prosecute the offenders.

Gunnels had applied for $50,000 from Oregon's Criminal Justice Commission's Organized Retail Theft Grant Program. The Commission approved $17,877 for nine months and told Deschutes County it can apply for the remainder in January, if it meets certain milestones, including establishing "collaborative partnerships with retailers, community groups or associations impacted by organize retail theft."

MADRAS, OR -- Evacuations remain west of Madras and Metolius for the Elk Lane Fire. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office says area closures are for the safety of the public and fire personnel, and residents are asked to only return if they need to get animals or medication. Click HERE for the latest evacuation map. 

Around 300 personnel are now working the incident, including eight task forces from seven counties. The fire is estimated at 5,240 acres and 0% contained, based on more accurately mapping conducted overnight Tuesday. Crews are focused Wednesday on keeping the fire south of Willow Creek, and from spreading any further east toward Madras. 

It's already burned in the vicinity of Belmont Lane and Elk Drives, and into the Deschutes River and Willow Creek Canyons.

The Elk Lane Fire started August fourth from lightning. A Type3 unified command took over management of the fire the following day, after the Governor invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has authorized federal funds to help pay for battling the wildfire, because it threatens homoes, fishing streams and spawning sites, irrigation and cultural resources. This isthe ninth such FEMA grant provided to Oregon this fire season.

A virtual public meeting is planned for Wednesday at 5 p.m., on the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Facebook page. 

Photo of the Elk Lane Fire courtesy of the Central Oregon Fire Management Service. 

BEND, OR -- Most local wildfires are caused by people. "As of August fifth, we have had 155 human-caused fires and those have burned over 151,360 acres across Central Oregon," says Kaitlyn Webb, with the Deschutes National Forest. Last Friday's Mile Marker 132 Fire was caused by a houseless person's cooking fire in the area of Juniper Ridge, north of Bend, according to Bend Fire & Rescue. But encampments aren't the only culprit. In early July, the McCaffery Fire was initially blamed on unsanctioned campers, but the investigation later revealed that fire near the Redmond Airport started by recreational shooters using exploding targets. And last Friday's Stillman Fire, near Powell Butte (pictured), was caused by sparks thrown from a vehicle's tire rim. That driver was later arrested outside Prineville.

Webb says it doesn't take much right now for a fire to spread fast, "We have not had a lot of moisture, so humidity levels in our vegetation [are] very dry. Which means if there is any type of ignition or spark, it's easy for a wildfire to start. And if it does start, there are those conditions that we've seen a lot of - hot, dry days, along with wind - which means that we're going to have the potential for fire to move quite quickly." ?And those conditions aren't changing anytime soon, "We're not seeing any relief in the forecast in the near future, as far as fire potential. So we do ask that the public be very cautious."

Webb says everyone is responsible for fire prevention, "Folks need to be checking for restrictions before they head out. They need to be very cautious with trailer chains, make sure nothing is dragging that could cause a spark. And, be mindful of where you're driving or parking." She tells KBND News, "Grass is so dry, and smaller vegetation, right now, that if you're driving over it or parking on top of it with a hot vehicle, those exhaust pipes or sparks could potentially cause wildfires." Under current fire restrictions, driving off developed roads and trails is not allowed on federally managed public lands, unless you're accessing a nearby campsite. Open fires are also not allowed anywhere in the forest right now.

BEND, OR -- Bend Fire investigators have determined last Friday's fire in Juniper Ridge, north of Bend, was caused by a cooking fire in a houseless camp at a vacant property. The Mile Marker 132 Fire broke out just before 2:30 p.m. Friday. It ultimately charred 78 acres before it was contained. Investigators say the fire originated on a privately owned lot at 64010 N. Highway 97. There are no structures on the property other than wood and wire fencing. The camper responsible for the fire was not foud. 

City and county leaders are getting an earful from homeowners near Juniper Ridge, whose properties were put at risk by the fire. They want more done to reduce the fire risk on vacant property owned by the city of Bend and Deschutes County. Brooke lives in the Northpointe neighborhood. "We had 20 minutes to pack and leave before we were at a Level 3 evacuation Go Now," She told County Commissioners this week, "The fire line is about 600 feet from our back fence. And the neighbor who was closest, from our neighborhood, the fire line was about 50-70 feet from his property line."

She says the fire risk in the area is year-round, "The fire danger in Juniper Ridge is very, very real. And I believe you are all aware of it. However, the county and the city have not taken appropriate action to protect all of the communities in Juniper Ridge." She sees two possible solutions, "That is to clear the dispersed campers or to create defensible space in Juniper Ridge."

Jim also lives nearby, and told Commissioners officials are placating campers instead of moving them, "We know what the problem is, but we're not addressing the problem. We're putting a band-aid on things. You have the Fire Department out there handing out fire extinguishers; really? To hand to the homeless, to give them fire extinguishers to put out the fire that's on the land, which they're out there just homesteading on and taking." Bend Fire and Rescue did not distribute fire extinguishers. But city officials confirm to KBND News the city distributed 40 fire extinguishers to people camping on city-owned property at Juniper Ridge on Friday, prior to the Mile Marker 132 fire. Deschutes County has taken similar steps on its portion of Juniper Ridge. 

Commissioner Phil Chang told Jim moving campers won't fix the problem until there's a place for campers to relocate to, "Trying to eject people from unsanctioned camp locations when they have no place to go means they're going to end up on other unsanctioned locations." Jim asked, "Where would that be?" Chang responded, "It could be a hundred yards away." Commissioners have discussed possible locations for a sanctioned camp where people living on public lands near Bend could be relocated. So far, those talks have not resulted in an agreement. 

MADRAS, OR -- Firefighters battle new wildfires in Central Oregon, sparked by a Sunday night thunderstorm. Near Madras, the Elk Lane Fire is estimated at 5,093 acres and 0% contained, as of Tuesday morning. Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the fire Monday morning, clearing the way for more state resources to deploy to the area. It's her eleventh such declaration this fire season.

Sunday's storm led to 13 smoke reports; at least three turned into wildfires. "The largest of those three is the Elk Lane Fire," says Celeste Prescott, with the Central Oregon Fire Management Service. She tells KBND News it grew quickly Sunday night. Initial estimates put it at 2,700 acres in just the first eight hours, "Most of that growth happened before 4 a.m. And, you know, we had immediate quick response, but I think it’s just a combination of the vegetation, the dry, hot weather we’ve been having and we’ve had some pretty significant winds."

About 250 ground and air resources are now working the fire, "A Central Oregon Type 3 team as well as an Oregon Fire Marshal team have now gone into unified command to manage the fire," says Prescott. She says the timing of the incident hampered firefighting efforts, "When those fires don’t start until later in the evening, we only have limited use of aircraft. They have to set down at dark."

The Elk Lane Fire forced the evacuation of neighborhoods west of Madras and Metolius. Click HERE for the latest evacuation map. "That fire is definitely still threatening some structures and there’s numerous evacuation orders in place. But they really did some great work that slowed the movement toward the structures, which felt like a big win," says Prescott. The evacuation shelter moved from the Jefferson County Fairgrounds to Madras High Monday afternoon. Fire command and evacuated livestock remain at the fairgrounds. 

Prescott says the Wildhorse Fire, south of Spray, is much smaller but also proving challenging, "That one’s burning in some real difficult terrain near Tamarack Creek. It has multiple hand crews, heli-attack crew and numerous other resources on it." Monday afternoon, it was estimated at 101 acres with mop-up operations underway.

The third incident - the Bennett Fire is estimated at 631 acres. Officials say it's holding within existing control lines. The Bennett Fire forced the evacuation of the small town of Antelope, but those orders were reduced to Level Two midday Monday. Tuesday morning, the Wasco County Sheriff's Office said the fire is 90% contained an all evacuations have been dropped. 

Photo of the Elk Lane Fire (08/05/2024) courtesy of COFMS

BEND, OR -- While firefighters were still battling the Mile Marker 132 Fire north of Bend, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved the use of federal funds to pay for the effort. Authorization came just before 9 p.m. Friday. This is the eighth Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) approved for Oregon wildfires this year. 

At the time the state requested the federal help, the Mile Marker 132 Fire threatened homes in and around the Boyd Acres subdivision and Bonneville Power Administration transmission lines. At one point Friday, more than 14,000 Pacific Power customers lost power, due to the fire. 

In addition to money authorized under the FMAG, another $985,111 will be available through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program to pay for efforts to mitigate the risk of future fires and related hazards, such as post-fire floods or erosion. 

BEND, OR -- Law enforcement agencies host National Night Out events throughout Deschutes County Tuesday. Jessica Rich, with Bend Police, planned her agency's event and says it’s an important opportunity to build positive relationships in the community, "We often contact the public on some of their worst days. So it’s a good chance for us to share a different side of our staff. So our staff is going to be cooking hot dogs and serving food. We’ll be handing out swag and goodies. We’ll have a face painting booth, a bounce house." Demonstrations from K-9 and drone teams are also planned, "If you happen to see those folk in real time, out working, you probably don’t want to get too close to them. So this is a fun opportunity to get up close and see how they work."

Rich acknowledges the event takes officers briefly off patrol, "We are one of the leanest police departments in the state, and that means that we are doing a pretty good job with what we have. It is definitely a challenge to have our staff on site for an event like this. But it’s important work and we recognize that all of the day to day work that they do is really improved when we put time and energy into developing positive relationships with the community."  

Last year, Bend PD hosted National Night Out at Bend High. It was the first year the agency hosted its own event. Rich says the emergency demolition of the auditorium forced a last-minute change for this year, "Just because of all of the work they had to do associated with the auditorium, it really impacted our ability to use the site safely. And it became evident that we needed to find another location." She tells KBND News, "Bend High was an amazing partner and, unfortunately, because of all the construction this year, we did have to make a last minute shift over to Bear Creek." Bend PD’s National Night Out is Tuesday from 4 - 8 p.m. at Bear Creek Elementary. All activities are free.

Redmond Police are at Centennial Park from 6 - 8 p.m. Tuesday. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office will have deputies at both BPD and RPD events, and hosts additional gatherings at Sisters Village Green Park and the La Pine Activity Center, also Tuesday from 6 - 8 p.m. Sunriver Police join local firefighters for National Night Out at the Sunriver Village from 5 - 6:30 p.m.

Photo: Officers meet with the public at the 2023 National Night Out, at Bend Senior High. Courtesy of the Bend Police Dept. 

MADRAS, OR -- Lightning moved through Central Oregon Sunday, sparking more than a dozen reports of smoke columns. One incident near Madras grew to around 2,700 acres, as of Monday morning. 

The Elk Lane Fire was first reported at about 7:30 p.m. Sunday, forcing evacuations west of Madras. Click HERE for the latest map. Belmont Lane is closed from the PGE gates to SW Columbia, and drivers are asked to avoid Mountain View Drive for fire apparatus. The Red Cross opened a temporary evacuation site in the Jefferson County fairgrounds parking lot. 

Monday Morning, Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for the Elk Lane Fire. The State Fire Marshal says two task forced pre-positioned in the region for the weekend helpd local firefighters protect structures. More resources are nw heading to the area, following the Governor's declaration.

Northeast of Antelope, the Bennett Fire has burned 400 acres. Authorities report crews made good progress overnight. And, ten miles south of Spray, the Wildhorse Fire has burned 60 acres of what fire managers say is very challenging terrain. 

Photo of the Elk Lane Fire provided by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.

BEND, OR -- With a Red Flag Warning and Heat Advisory in effect for Central Oregon this weekend, the Oregon State Fire Marshal sent two structural task forces to stage in our area, to be ready for an active fire weekend. The two teams from Lincoln and Polk counties got to work moments after arriving Friday. 

The Mile Marker 132 Fire was spotted Friday at about 2:30 p.m., between Bend and Redmond, on the east side of Highway 97. Wind gusts caused the fire to grow quickly in the area known as "Dirt World," and then into Juniper Ridge. Evacuations were ordered for Juniper Ridge, Hilltop and Four Seasons mobile home parks, and the Cascade Village neighborhood, north of Cooley Road. Click HERE for current Deschutes County evacuation information. The Red Cross set up a temporary evacuation shelter at Mountain View High School to accommodate those with no other way to escape the heat. At one point, more than 14,000 Pacific Power customers on the north end of Bend were without electricity, due to damaged utility lines. Traffic backed up on Highway 97 as crews worked along the roadway and signals went dark.

Multiple air resources responded and local firefighters from Bend, Redmond and other agencies worked alongside wildland crews. By Friday night, the fire was estimated at about 20 acres. Aircraft were released by 7:20 p.m. and ground resources began mop-up operations. 

Friday evening, while crews were still working the Mile Marker 132 Fire, reports started coming in of a fire near Powell Butte, in Crook County. One of the OSFM task forces moved to that incident as the Sheriff's Office ordered evacuations for what was named the Stillman Fire. Click HERE for the latest Crook County evacuation informatio.

That incident led to the closure of Highway 126 for several hours between Parrish and Wiley Roads. A temporary evacuation shelter was created at the Powell Butte Church. By 7:30 p.m. the Stillman Fire was estimated at 10 acres and crews reported they had stopped forward progress.

Pictured: Mile Marker 132 Fire (08/02/24)

BEND, OR -- Firefighters from Bend and Redmond are battling a fast-moving brush fire just off Highway 97, in the area known as Dirt World. The first units were dispatched just before 2:30 Friday afternoon.

Evacuations have been ordered for the Four Seasons and Hilltop mobile home parks, just north of Bend. There are reports of structures and vehicles involved in the fire. 

Air resources were ordered and arrived just after 3:30 p.m. when firefighters called for a third alarm. 

BEND, OR -- Two structural task forces will be pre-positioned in Central Oregon this weekend, due to Red Flag Warnings and predicted hot temperatures. The teams are from Lincoln and Polk counties. They have 26 firefighters, eight engines and two water tenders.

The task forces are not assigned to a specific incident, but are available for initial attack on any new fires. They will remain for 72 hours and could be extended for up to two weeks, if conditions warrant.  

“With the immense wildfire activity we have seen so far this summer, we are taking this proactive step to prepare for yet another increased threat of new fire starts,” Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said in a statement. “We are moving into the heart of our typical wildfire season, and it is important now more than ever that Oregonians and visitors practice wildfire prevention. Please help our firefighters by being wildfire aware.”  

Four other task forces, from Clackamas, Clatsop, Washington and Yamhill counties, are assigned to the Telephone Fire in Harney County. Governor Tina Kotek invoked the Emergency Conflagration Act for that incident on Thursday, marking the tenth this summer. The Telephone Fire is now estimated at 46,000 acres and 23% contained. 

Photo: A structural task force from the Oregon coast works on the Telephone Fire.

PAULINA, OR -- Firefighters finally reached 5% containment on the Crazy Creek Fire, burning in the Ochoco National Forest, about 16 miles north of Paulina. Cliff Russell, with SW Area Incident Management Team 5, says weather conditions have been challenging, "The biggest thing is the lower humidities, higher temperatures and that wind all coming together and making it grow." He tells KBND News, "We've had some dry spells that have moved through here, with some heat. So when those fuels out on the landscape dry out, they tend to dry out a little bit quicker. And then that combined with the wind to kind of push it."

As of Friday morning, the fire is estimated at 35,360 acres. Evacuation orders remain in place for eastern Crook County. Click HERE for the latest map. 

The area is under a Red Flag Warning and a Heat Advisory, and lightning is predicted for this weekend. Russell says crews are putting in more dozer lines to slow the fire's spread. But they're also preparing in case it grows. "Up there in the historical areas, by Salters Cabin and Wolf Creek Campground, they're actually wrapping the buildings with- it's almost like an aluminum foil-type material. That helps redirect that heat if it gets close to it. It also seals it in so those floating embers that are prevalent around fires don't get into the cracks or anything like that."

The SW Area Incident Management Team is from New Mexico and Arizona. "Our fire season starts normally around March, down there in the southwest, runs until about July," says Russell, "Then we got what we call monsoons; it's our rainy season." When their season ended, he says they were asked to stage in Boise. They arrived on the Crazy Creek Fire on Tuesday, "It's a shorter drive from Idaho to Oregon, than it is from Albuquerque, New Mexico all the way up north."

Nearly 500 personnel are currently assigned to the Crazy Creek Fire. Russell says everyone knows crews are spread thin across the region, "The resources are kind of hard to get, but they're starting to trickle in now. And as those resources start to come in, you can just see the relief on folks' faces that they're like, 'Oh. Somebody's here.'"

They hosted a community meeting Thursday night at Crook County High School. Earlier in the week, they met with about 50 people in the small town of Post.

BEND, OR -- A 50-year-old Bend man is accused of killing his roommate. Bend Police say 57-year-old Matthew Hallberg was found dead in his backyard Thursday night. 

Hallberg's roommate, Robert Lawrence, was questioned at the home on Raintree Drive and later arrested for Criminal Homicide and other charges. 

The Oregon State Crime Lab assisted with the investigation. Investigators await an autopsy for further details on Hallberg's death. 

CULVER, OR -- Divers have recovered the body of a 31-year-old Warm Springs man who went missing earlier this week in Lake Billy Chinook. Triston Boise disappeared after jumping into the lake from a bridge.

Initially, Jefferson County Sheriff's marine deputies were assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Dive Team. Tuesday, a nonprofit dive team arrived to help. Officials say the effort was hampered by poor visibility under the water’s surface.

At about 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, as his family watched from the bridge, Boise's body was located, submerged in 42 feet of water.

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit filed additional charges this week against a 30-year-old Bend man accused of distributing child porn online.

Jesus Quintana Maybe was arrested July 18th and charged with four counts of encouraging child sex abuse. While executing a search warrant on his phone, detectives say they found more evidence, leading to six more counts.

ICAC began investigating Quintana Maybe after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an online account distributing Child Sex Abuse Material. They say the investigation revealed those accounts were operated by Quintana Maybe.

He remains in the Deschutes County Jail.

BEND, OR - Members of the region's first Civic Assembly will be selected by lottery Thursday evening. Central Oregon Civic Action Project Executive Director Josh Burgess the drawing won't be specific names of those who responded, but statistically-diverse groups of names, based on where people live, their gender, race, and political affiliation. "We are not trying to seed the assembly with people of one political ideology or another. In fact, it's the opposite," Burgess tells KBND News, "If we just put all of their names in a pool, we could get everyone who is a white, Republican male who lives in Redmond."

This first assembly will meet this fall to discuss youth homelessness and potential ways to tackle the issue. "The assembly is not just a group of people coming together to talk. They are doing some deep, deep learning, some deep deliberation and coming up with recommendations that will influence the way we approach solutions to this challenge moving forward," says Burgess. Bend City Councilors and County Commissioners support the pilot project, "They are not running it. They're separate from it. But they've agreed that when those recommendations come back, they will actually publicly deliberate on them and decide whether they agree, and whether they'll put into implementation those recommendations."

Thursday evening's event starts at 6 p.m. at the downtown Bend library and includes elected leaders and a presentation on how assemblies work. "And then, most importantly," says Burgess, "We'll have partners from the Youth Action Board, who are an impressive group of young people. Right now, with work with COIC - the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council - they are actually making decisions on how to prioritize resources for youth homelessness solutions, here. This is a group of young people who are actually experiencing that right now; or have."

Click HERE to listen to our full interview with COCAP's Josh Burgess. 

File photo: A citizen assembly meets in Ireland.

BEND, OR -- A local group says it's found discriminatory language on nearly 200 deeds in one northeast Bend neighborhood.  

Riccardo Waites, of the Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly, tells KBND News the research was part of the Good Deeds Program, "It researches the county's database looking for deeds of record that have racially-biased language in the deeds. And then we show homeowners and landowners how to have those removed."

The group notified property owners in the Wiestoria neighborhood the language in their deeds going back to the early 1900s excludes those of Chinese or Japanese descent from owning or occupying the property. The discriminatory language does allow for Chinese or Japanese to work on the property.

"Our whole thing in this is to bring education to the community. We've sent out these notices to inform them that they have one so they can learn what racially-biased covenants are, and how to get them removed," Waites says.

Deschutes County clerk Steve Dennison says an amended law passed last year by the state legislature allows the deed language to be changed, "Generally it's identifying the language that's of concern, taking that to the court, and the owners would then take it to us (county clerk's office) and we would record and then redact based on that order."

Dennison tells KBND News Deschutes County has not had any deeds submitted for review. Clackamas County redacted language on a deed earlier this year.

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The Environmental Protection Agency has agreed to help investigate well water contamination in Crook County. U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) lobbied for the EPA to get involved, "They agreed to be helpful, to offer their resources, their talents to back up the state," says Merkley, "The state said that would be great. So, it's an appreciated offer, since they don't have regulatory power- EPA doesn't. But they'll be providing assistance. So, yay. That's a win." 

In June, Senator Merkley met with homeowners who say their water is contaminated with manganese from a nearby gravel mine. Since then, he's pushed the state for more testing. 

The Governor's office has also agreed to continue investigating. Although, state officials say previous tests don't point to the gravel pit. Merkley says those water samples were provided by the mine. And, he believes homeowners have significant evidence pointing to the operation, "I don't see any reason why the samples couldn't have been taken just shortly after the families expressed concern. It's important to have those samples not be collected by Knife River. They need to be collected by independent geologists, so that you're really getting an appropriate, fair report that everyone can have confidence in." He says the EPA will provide an independent review of the state's water sampling plan and participate in public meetings. 

Merkley tells KBND News, "I'm applying for a Community Initiated Project Grant that will help with understanding the overall dynamics of sub-surface water in the watershed. The state has asked for that; I'm advocating for that." But, he says, "That is not a reason to set aside the immediate help to these families that are experiencing these significant problems and experiencing problems, and concerned about the health of their children, their families, their livestock and also just the accumulation of clogged pipes and so forth."

Photo: Sen. Jeff Merkley discovers sludge in the tank of a Crook County toilet connected to a well contaminated with manganese. June 2024 (submitted photo)