LA PINE, OR -- La Pine Community Health Center has been named one of the top workplaces of 2024, by the Oregonian. The top workplaces list is determined based on anonymous employee feedback, gathered by a third-party survey administrator. They rank work environment, alignment of values and effectiveness of management.

Erin Trapp, CEO of LCHC, said in a statement, “My focus has been twofold: improving the employee experience by creating a workplace where staff are eager to work every day and empowering them to be change agents who actively enhance the quality of care we provide to our community. We have an amazing team of dedicated employees who show up every day to make a difference.”  

BEND, OR -- Cascade Youth and Family Center (CYFC) has purchased a controversial triplex on Wilson Avenue in Bend. In March, Deschutes County dropped plans to open a transitional facility for parolees after neighbor objections.

Under the J Bar J Youth Services umbrella, CYFC will use the triplex to provide stable housing for young adults at risk of becoming homeless. They’ll serve people ages 16 to 24 with daily case management and support navigating independent living.

Participants will come from various backgrounds, including thos aging out of foster care or facing homelessness. 

Funding came from the Governor’s Executive Order to address the state’s homeless crisis, doled out locally by COIC. 

SISTERS, OR -- The U.S. Forest Service is investigating the cause of a brush fire that broke out late Thursday near the Best Western Ponderosa Lodge in Sisters. A man reported the fire at about 11:40 p.m. He then tried to put it out himself with two small fire extinguishers provided by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District through an effort to prevent fires at dispersed campsites.

When fire crews arrived at midnight, they found about 50' of forest on fire, including a campsite. It was quickly contained and didn't cause any further damage.  

file photo

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners are considering a change to what is allowed on land zoned Multi-Use Agricultural. Commissioner Phil Chang tells KBND News, "There's a lot of land in the county in MUA-10, 'Multiple Use Agricultural-10,' as it's called. Currently in MUA-10, mini storage is not allowed. But a couple of different applicants have come in requesting for mini storage to become a conditionally allowable use." The change would allow mini storage facilities just outside incorporated cities, "Along Highway 97 and along Highway 20, close in to one of our incorporated cities. So, in this case, it would be a whole bunch of Multiple Use Agriculture-zoned lands near Redmond or near Bend."

Those businesses say allowing storage facilities on land zoned as MUA-10 would allow for future urbanization. But during this week's public hearing, Chang says they also heard from people worried about preserving rural character, "Particularly right on the edges of our cities, who said, essentially, 'this is a really significant change to what Multiple Use Agriculture zoning means and is intended to do.'"

Chang says, "The written record is still open for a few weeks. And then, we'll deliberate after that, whether to approve this code amendment application or not."

Currently, mini-storage facilities are only allowed in areas zoned for commercial or industrial use.

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County holds a first of its kind event in Bend Saturday. Drop It Swap It is a free chance to bring in items that are unwanted but in otherwise good condition, and maybe pick up something else while you're there.

"Puzzles, board games, books, cookbooks would be really great things for people as they are kind of nesting in before the snow flies," The county's Community Engagement coordinator Jackie Wilson tells KBND News electronics, tools, and small kitchen appliances are also welcome, "It's a great way just for folks to think of, 'I'm reducing my environmental footprint, meeting like-minded individuals and hopefully finding some fantastic finds'."

The county's aim is not to compete with resale and thrift stores, just keep items out of the landfill a little longer. "Rethinking our stuff. What do I have in my house? Do I need these things here or do they bring me joy if I don't need them? Let me declutter. And then for other folks that are looking for things affordable ways to find those treasures to put in homes if they need some additional items," Wilson says people can drop off items, and then leave, or wait and pick something out for themselves. People can also look for swap items without donating.

Drop It Swap It is in the parking lot at the county road department building on 27^th street in Bend. The Drop is Saturday morning from 9 to 10:30. The Swap starts at noon and goes until 2 PM.

The Solid Waste Department will gauge public response to determine if they will hold more drop and swaps. "From the Department of Solid Waste there are so many things that we see coming into the floor at the transfer stations that are going into the landfill that could have good use. It's really just a way of bringing items in that people might be like, 'well, I'm just going to get rid of it'. You know, that idea of 'just going to throw it away, it goes away' where it goes, is to a landfill," Wilson says adding the idea could scale to larger reuse, reduce, recycle concepts. "What could the future hold at our transfer station with our new landfill? And so, it's just kind of getting a pulse on the community and seeing what this would look like."

BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools celebrates a big anniversary Thursday. R.E. Jewell Elementary, off Murphy Road on the south end of Bend, is 50 this month. 

"This school has been sort of the central area of this whole neighborhood, of this whole region," says Principal Jesse Rasmussen. He tells KBND News Jewell has seen multiple generations of some of the same families, "We really pride ourselves on knowing our community and serving our community the best we can, and really creating an environment that feels welcoming and inclusive to everybody." Rasmussen adds, "Our area's changing a little bit. So, we have houses going up around us, where it used to be just open fields for years and years. And we're just a neighborhood school that really leans into the fact that we know the families and the students really well, and they know us really well."

He believes the school is a benefit to the surrounding community, even those who don't have kids attending school there, "Parks and Rec uses our fields for baseball and T-ball and soccer throughout the year. Our gym is often used for volleyball and basketball. So, this is really a community space that everybody gets to enjoy. And it's changed a little bit over the years. But we still have some of the original things in place, from when we first opened."

Everyone's invited to a celebration at the school Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. It includes food carts, games and a photo booth. School artifacts will also be on display. "Jewell has a history of making videos at the start and the end of every school year; we probably have a collection of at least 10-12 years' worth of videos that we've made," says Rasmussen, "Those are going to be running on loop in our cafeteria." He also expects a number of former students and staff to stop by. 

Jewell opened in September 1974 and is named for Robert Ewart Jewell, who was the district's Superintendent from 1950 to 1973. 

photos courtesy of Bend-La Pine Schools

MADRAS, OR -- A year-around event venue is opening in Madras. Andre Jackson owns the new John Brown Event Center at The Spot on South 5^th street. "We are working with larger corporations over in the valley such as the Portland Trail Blazers... as their single site in central and eastern Oregon to have their events and activities, to make them feel that we are part of their backyard. We are part of their community."

The JBEC holds about 300 people. It's available for national touring acts, throughout winter, along with private and corporate events. "That's why we are creating an indoor facility... to be able to have activities that individuals and families can enjoy the entire year long." After living in Central Oregon for many years, he knows there are not a lot of entertainment options between November and May, "You either stay home, you go skiing, or you go travel. So, the opportunity to go to a comedy show or experience a concert during the winter time is very, very limited."

The Spot will include upscale dining, a bar, and food trucks. "We're looking to also connect with the Bend community, Prineville, Culver, Redmond. So, they feel that Madras is their backyard, as well," Jackson tells KBND News shuttle buses are planned to run from Bend and Redmond to Madras taking passengers to and from shows.

The first show announcements will come in October with a grand opening planned for November.

BEND, OR -- The Bend Central District is working to re-ignite its Visionary Board. "We have an opportunity - really, one of the last neighborhood districts in Bend - to maintain the livability as a neighborhood, while improving safe transportation, corridor connection between east and west sides of Bend," says board member Tiffany Kruger. She tells KBND News the group does important work communicating with neighbors and the city, "To really just help, not only hone in on priorities within the community, but help to distill feedback."

The group was initially formed in 2018. "We originally started with 30 community members representing just about every level of diversity that you can have in Bend. It was very intentionally thought out and put together. And over the last few years, there have been a handful of us that remains." With so many projects underway in the BCD, Kruger says it’s time for new people to step in and help shape the future.

Tuesday evening, they host a family-friendly event for the community to meet current board members and talk with civic leaders. Kruger says city officials will also be there to discuss several issues, "Some small business initiatives that are on the horizon, within the district. One of the key elements that they’re talking about is around equitable transportation; discussing the Franklin Corridor improvement project."

But the event isn’t only for people who live in the BCD, "I think anyone in Bend, honestly, that cares about preserving historical character, small businesses, that may have some interest in business incubation or opening a business there, safe transportation and connectivity throughout Bend."

The BCD’s “Bend Together” is Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. at Open Space Event Studios. The Children's Museum of Central Oregon will also be there with interactive activities; local food and beverages will also be available. Click HERE for more information.

BEND, OR -- The two men running for Deschutes County Sheriff went head to head Monday night in a forum moderated by KBND's Heather Roberts. Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp and Capt. William Bailey both work for the agency they hope to lead.

They discussed working with the houseless community, drug re-criminalization and lawsuits against the agency. Questions were submitted from the public, with many focused on trust and transparency. Sgt. Vander Kamp says the Sheriff’s Office does a good job reaching out to the community, "Whether it be through our School Resource officer programs, special events, getting out there and just talking to people." Capt. Bailey agrees it’s about relationship-building, especially in areas like Sisters and La Pine, "We have dedicated staff there, where they're getting to know the community and the community's getting to know them. And building those relationships to solve problems and focus on public safety. And then, my goal as Sheriff is to expand that program."

When asked about the top issues facing DCSO, both mentioned employee morale. But they have very different perspectives. Vander Kamp blamed the current administration. "Our culture is very toxic. We’ve had a series of issues over the last many years, where our internal strife has become worse and worse."  

Bailey admits communication has broken down, "It has gotten to a really sad state. But, with just as many employees that are frustrated, there are just as many employees that are happy and satisfied, and frustrated with this public attempt to defame our agency." He went on to say morale wasn’t an issue when he first announced his run for sheriff, "And then, a couple of things changed: a second candidate announced their run for Sheriff and that completely changed the dynamics within the facility." Vander Kamp says the agency's culture needs an overhaul, and refused to accept the campaign is to blame, "We need to get back to remembering how to build teams and form teams. We stopped talking, as an agency, internally, a while ago. This didn’t start when I decided to run for sheriff. People are afraid of letting their voices be heard, ask questions."

Bailey and Vander Kamp join the KBND Morning News Monday, September 30, for an exclusive Candidate Conversation in the 8 o’clock hour. 

MADRAS, OR -- Central Oregon Community College begins the fall term Monday at campuses in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and the Deer Ridge Correctional Institution. After a 26-year ban, federal Pell Grants can now be used for incarcerated students to take college courses and COCC is one of the first schools in the country to receive Pell Grant certification. The school now offers an Associates Degree within its prison education program. Only individual classes and skills training, like welding, have been offered at DRCI in the past.

"There are lots of data that demonstrate that engaging with education, particularly higher education, reduces recidivism," says Program Coordinator and biology teacher Emma Chaput. She says offering an Associates Degree to incarcerated adults seemed a natural fit, "We are a community college and our mission is to provide high quality educational opportunities throughout our community. And these students are members of our community."

Short-term state funding allowed the program to start last spring, giving COCC time to adapt and adjust before students gained access to federal financial aid. Chaput says, "It is not an environment that is conducive to studying, to learning, to focusing on higher education." She adds, "At the moment, students have virtually no access to technology: no internet, no email, limited computer access." She says students have to be motivated to succeed, "The students have reported, particularly - and I hadn't thought about this - that noise can be a real challenge for focusing. Because they don't have a lot of control over their external environment."

And, she's proud of how the class worked together, "To create college space. We have had lots of conversations about how do we shut the door and be in college? And make that transition, both for them and the instructors."

This fall, 17 students at Deer Ridge are offered three courses towards their Associates Degree. 

JEFFERSON CO., OR -- An elderly man suffered life-threatening injuries during a hike at Steelhead Falls Sunday. Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue responded after the man fell, as well as the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and State Police. They say he was on a very familiar trail with his daughter when he suddenly tumbled about 50 feet to the river’s edge.

Rescuers loaded him on a stretcher and hiked about a half mile to a waiting ambulance. He was taken to the CRRFR station, then flown to St. Charles Bend.

CRRFR reminds recreators to never hike alone, be prepared for the terrain and always ensure someone knows where you are and when to expect you back. 

BEND, OR -- Transportation funding will be a closely watched topic during Oregon's 2025 legislative session, with ODOT expecting a $1.8-billion budget shortfall.

Deschutes County Roads Director Chris Doty says additional money allocated by state lawmakers will help locally. "Counties receive 30% of the State Highway Fund, cities receive 20% and then the state keeps 50% for ODOT to run the state highway system." Doty tells KBND News counties get more because, "Cities have a lot of funding tools to generate local funding. They're able to use property tax, for one. Counties are restricted from that. They're able to collect franchise fees, which are fees the utility companies pay for the privilege of locating utilities in the public's right of way."

Doty took part in last week's local tour with lawmakers tasked with creating ODOT's next funding package, "Got to look at the north end, North 97 project, here in Bend. Then, we got them on some county roads, got to take them around and show them what we've been up to. Show them how we've been investing some of the funds from the prior funding package." He says revenue, like from the state gas tax, is down. And without an adequate influx of cash, we could see local cuts, "We fund maintenance first, operations second - so, reacting to things that happen on the system, like snow and ice and stuff like that. And then what is left over, once we've funded those two things, we build projects with; capital projects. So, those projects would be on the chopping block." 

Doty says new staff is always wanted, but rarely funded, "You know, in terms of operating a department that is sustainable, what we try to do is have the fewest amount of people necessary to deliver a level of service that the public deems acceptable." He adds, "It's a matter of just creating priorities, and then making sure that we have the right things prioritized."

file photo

BEND, OR -- Students at Bend Senior High are getting accustomed to a lot of construction on campus, as the 70-year-old school undergoes a major renovation. "We lost two of our halls: C hall and I hall, and then the big auditorium that we weren't expecting to lose," says Student Body President Taj Erickson. "So, things are definitely a little bit different; it's harder to navigate around school."

Senior Representative Carlie Shields says teachers have been very understanding, "You don't have different places to go, like side doors to go out of anymore. So, getting from class to class takes a long time. It's very crowded hallways, now." But, she tells KBND News, they're trying to make the best of it, "I think we've gone into the mindset this year of 'Culture Over Construction.' That's kind of been our motto. So, it really doesn't matter what our walls look like; it's still going to be the same people and the same culture." Erickson agrees, "We still have got all of our people- all of our students, all of our amazing staff, and the culture's the same. And we're going to keep it the same."

Erickson says losing the auditorium, after damage was discovered late in the summer, was the toughest blow to students, "We're definitely going to have to work harder on all of our favorite events. Because we know the expectations for them and we want to make them just as good, if not better, because people expect so much from them, because they're everyone's favorite." Shields says, "A few of my favorites, personally: the Veterans Day assembly, our pageant we do, our holiday assembly. So it's really going to make us have to think more in our space that we have, for using the gym."

Overall, says Shields, everyone's looking forward to the upgrades the district has promised, "Our new commons area is going to have garage doors, so that everything can be opened and it'll be a big indoor/outdoor area." She's most looking forward to the Jumbotron planned for the gym. 

Renovations are happening in stages and are expected to take several years. 

BEND, OR -- The city of Bend is selling off another two lots inside Juniper Ridge, on the northern edge of the city. "We own 1500 acres that is called Juniper Ridge," says Bend City Manager Eric King, "There's about 500 acres that's inside the urban growth boundary." He tells KBND News Taylor Brooks will purchase about 100 of those acres. "Todd Taylor and Brooks Resources, they have combined forces and they have purchased land for about $8 million. Some land on the northern edge, and then land towards the east, on Cooley Road. And they will develop that land for employment. So, jobs, industrial uses, things like that." Sections of Cooley Road, Talus Place, NE 18th, NE Andesite Street, Outcrop Lane and Igneous Drive will all see improvements under the deal.

Unlike previous sales in Juniper Ridge, King says, the buyer is responsible for creating necessary roads, "This allows us to sell a large tract of land to a developer. And then they will put the infrastructure in and sell off lots. So, they're not the ultimate user of that property, but they will do all of the horizontal development - the roads, the sewer and such."

City Council agreed to the deal this week, "We looked at the price of the lands, took into account the cost of putting roads and sewer and water in, as well. It was a long process, it was a competitive process; we went through a Request For Proposal to solicit firms," says King, "We had about three different developers who were competing for that land and, ultimately, chose them."

Revenue from the sale will go into the city's General Fund. 

Also this week, the city agreed to buy three properties from Taylor Development LLC. The lots are in the Core Area, at 184 NE Franklin, 615 NE Second and 637 NE Second. That deal will cost Bend $3.5 million. But officials say it will help the city meet short- and long-term community needs, including the potential development of a new City Hall. 

file photo: Juniper Ridge

BEND, OR -- The plan for a managed homeless camp on Juniper Ridge is being shaped by Deschutes County’s Coordinated Houseless Response Office.

It's now taking applications from services providers. Home More Network’s Chuck Hemingway told the CHRO board at Thursday's meeting they have their work cut out for them creating a Temporary Safe Stay Area, between Highway 97 and the railroad tracks. The area east of the tracks will be closed for camping. “Given the way they’ve permanently put up some of those structures up there (on the east side). It’s going to be a real chore.” Home More Network is proposing a managed camp within the TSSA that would provide intensive case management, to transition to permanent housing. It would also include mobile showers and laundry. “We would like to see some innovative methods used,” said Hemingway, adding safety and security for everyone is a priority, “This area would be a fire mitigation area. There would be controlling what kind of fires they have.” The goal is to get people to a more stable situation on Juniper Ridge. “There are definitely people that are living out there that want to be safer. And this definitely offers a high degree of safety,” said CHRO board chair, and Deschutes County commission chair Patti Adair. The board comprises Commissioner Adair and city officials from Bend, La Pine, Redmond, and Sisters.

The TSSA hopes to open next May. The houseless response office will allocate funding for that project, along with Safe Parking spaces in Bend and Redmond.

The board also Thursday, affirmed its regional commitment saying it was “merging, augmenting, aligning” with regional partners including Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council, and stretching beyond Deschutes County.

TERREBONNE, OR -- A 35-year-old Bend man is accused of trafficking fentanyl from the Portland area to our region for distribution.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement team arrested Harvey Gonzales this week during a late night traffic stop near Terrebonne. Gonzales was the passenger and detectives say, during a search of the car, they found fentanyl powder and other evidence under his seat.

He’s charged with unlawful possession and delivery of a controlled substance.

BEND, OR -- An effort to bring Mt. Bachelor under local ownership is gaining momentum. "We captured lightning in a bottle," says Dan Cochrane, Co-Chair of the newly created Mt. Bachelor Community Inc, "It's on every level: it's on a community level, it's on an anti-corporate level, it's a nostalgic level that goes back to the old ski hill." He tells KBND News, "This is an old ski town. It's kind of strayed from that. But the overarching feedback I'm getting from very well-connected members of this community, they're very excited about the idea of the old ski town coming back."

Mt. Bachelor's current owner, POWDR Corp, announced last month it plans to sell the Bend ski resort. Cochrane admits the idea to buy it started as a bit of a joke, but it quickly took off and the group realized it might be possible. The group presented their proposal to the Bend City Council Wednesday night, asking for formal support. "We would like to submit a letter of intent to Chase and we'd like to have a letter from them," says Cochrane.

The group is also asking for support from the Governor and the state's Congressional delegation, "This is absolutely about the Central Oregon community. This isn't just about Bend. This is about the state. This is about the Pacific Northwest. This is about the underdog and the snowsliders and everybody that wants to get behind this." Cochrane adds, "This is a chance to kind of bring everybody together under this one very passionate, nostalgic, incredible opportunity. And, we consider it a legacy moment for our state." 

The group says there should be broad support to keep the resort's revenue from going to an out of state buyer. Cochrane says, "We have the chance to keep that in our local community. But also, to further the support for the jobs at the mountain, as the second largest employer in Central Oregon."

Mt. Bachelor Community Inc launched a GoFundMe page Wednesday, which raised over $6,000 in under 12 hours. A= party at Drake Park next month is the official kickoff for the cause, where the community can meet those involved and learn more. That event is October 12, from 3 to 5 p.m. 

REDMOND, OR -- The city of Redmond wants to create a wetland complex for its wastewater treatment facility, similar to Prineville’s. But Redmond’s expansion proposal includes a 541-acre parcel in Terrebonne currently under the care of the Bureau of Land Management, along with five miles of OHV trails.

The BLM says another 38 miles of trails would remain within the Steamboat Roack Special Recreation Management Area. 

A 30-day scoping period is now underway for the potential change to the Upper Deschutes Resource Management Plan. The BLM is asking for public feedback on the proposal before making a decision whether to transfer the land to the city. For more on the project, click HERE. 

Written comments can be submitted via email or by calling Fair enoughrris Couture at 541-416-6711. 

This is the second time the BLM has taken comment on Redmond's proposal. The acreage requested by the city was scaled back after input from the federal agency. 

BEND, OR -- Central Oregon Community College President Dr. Laurie Chesley retires at the end of the 2025 Spring term. COCC is launching a formal search process for its next president now. An advisory committee gathered input on candidate criteria at a public forum Tuesday.

College president hiring consultant Preston Pulliams is guiding COCC's team through the process. "We're getting smaller pools primarily because there are a lot of baby boomers retiring from the presidency right now and there's a lot of competition out there from other jobs. My expectation in this particular search, because of your reputation, and Bend tends to be a destination is that you should attract 40 applicants or more," Pulliams says, adding they will have to reach out to candidates, "You have to do personal recruiting, you have to pick up the phone, say 'hey look, we've got a great opportunity here'."

COCC's Chair of the Board of Directors, Laura Craska Cooper stated they want the hiring process to be inclusive, "The board is pretty committed to casting a wide net in getting input and feedback."

Sara Henson, COCC's Faculty leader was the only person who spoke as a member of the public at the forum. She told the committee she wants all college staff to have input in decision-making and policy-making with the next president, "That's a huge issue not just for faculty but also all employee groups at the college, that we really want to see a true, genuine commitment to shared governance."

The college hopes to have finalists narrowed down by late Fall, and have them in for on-campus interviews early next year.

Dr. Chesley announced her retirement this past June.

REDMOND, OR -- There will be no ice rink in Redmond this winter. The city's Economic Development Manager Chuck Arnold tells KBND News, "Unfortunately, there will not be a rink this winter. It's looking probably like a two-year effort in order to get the resources together to redefine a rink, to create a place that will be a draw to downtown, that will draw tourists, that will draw people into the center of the community to enjoy our shops and restaurants." He says an equipment failure last season led to the realization that the rink had reached the end of its useful life, "We had to start to make a decision as a city and as a community about where we're going to go with this asset for downtown."

The goal is to build a larger, more permanent facility, "The temporary rink that no longer functions could only have 75 skaters on it at a time, and was only 3,000 square feet," says Arnold, "Having it be the size that it was for the community size that we are, was definitely out of scale. So, we're looking at a number of different designs and site opportunities and plans. But right now, we're at the beginning of getting policymakers' and the community's input on what makes sense." He notes a new facility would not be a sports center nor the size of Bend's Pavilion; the goal is to maintain the "boutique" feel of the previous rink, which crews rebuilt every season for almost 15 years at Centennial Park. 

A new rink comes with a steep price tag, but Arnold says there are no plans to increase taxes to pay for the project, "It really is looking like it's going to fall in the $5-7 million dollar range, if it is something that we end up pursuing. This would be done, at this point, with resources from the state and other resources in urban renewal and some grants."

City Councilors discussed possible locations this week, including the Centennial Parking Lot, the former Sears store or the soon to be former police station. Arnold hopes to have more details later this fall or winter. 

file photo: Downtown Redmond's previous ice rink

BEND, OR -- Bend's Midtown Crossings project is getting a lot of attention from the community. "We've been getting more feedback on the Midtown work thank I think we've probably gotten on almost any other project we've done as a city," says Ryan Oster, Bend's Director of Engineering. The city reports more than a thousand people participated in open house events over the last six months, focused on the various sections of work that make up the project. "Always looking for more feedback, though. The window's never closed," says Oster.

Greenwood reopened in August, under a "quick-build" pilot project. Oster tells KBND News, "Greenwood, obviously, is open and running now and we're definitely looking for feedback from the public on how they feel that that's operating." He says the city is collecting data online, and may host another in-person open house later in the fall. 

Waterline work is underway on Second Street, between Franklin and Greenwood. "I'm going to be going in front of Council mid-October for approval of the next portion of the contract, which is to rebuild Second Street itself, on the surface," says Oster, "So it's turning it into a much more urban-friendly design for all of the users in the system." He expects that project to get underway later this year. 

And Oster says, construction on Franklin should begin next summer, "Last Franklin open house was showing the design alternatives. So we're probably going to do another one before we start construction on Franklin, just to kind of share with everybody 'this is the alternative that was chosen, here's what the final design looks like and here's what you can expect during the construction period.'"

The largest project - the Hawthorne Overcrossing - is at least a year away, partly because it's reliant on federal funding. "Right now," says Oster, "We're finalizing our agreements with Region 4 here, from the state and ODOT, because the federal money can't come through to the city without coming through ODOT first." After public input, the city selected its preferred design for the bike and pedestrian bridge. Oster expects more open houses for that project, once a specific timeline is set. 

REDMOND, OR -- After eight months of construction, Redmond’s Southwest Reservoir Drive is back open to through traffic, between Helmholtz and 35th. The project includes new pavement, curbs, sidewalks, bike lanes, waterlines and sewer lines. Crews are still putting on the finishing touches and may work along the shoulder at times.

Phase two of the project is slated to begin next spring, which will close Reservoir Drive again, from 39th to 43rd. Click HERE for more on the project.

photo courtesy of the city of Redmond

BEND, OR -- Much of the state is experiencing cooler temperatures and some areas have seen a little moisture. But, "Fire season is far from over," says Carol Connolly, at the Northwest Interagency Coordination Center, "Currently, we still have 20 large active fires in the state of Oregon."

Connolly tells us, "We just took five large fires off the board over the last 24 hours. Four of those were in Oregon and one was in the state of Washington. So, great progress is being made." However, 500,000 acres of Oregon are still actively burning. And, of the 20,000 wildland firefighters deployed around the country right now, almost 8,000 are in our state. 

"This is a time of year we get East Winds. So, that east wind effect and that threat still remains," says Connolly, "All it would take, according to our fire weather meteorologists, is a few days, if not about a week of warming in certain parts of the west side of the Cascade mountains, all the way into eastern Oregon." She adds, "If those warmer, dryer conditions come to the west side of the Cascades, and that starts to dry out things and we do get an ignition, the chance of a large catastrophic fire isn't there. But that doesn't mean that our existing fires can't grow."

In Central Oregon, the Highway 97 corridor is especially susceptible to human-starts, like an ignition from a vehicle, "It wouldn't take long for the fuels in that area to dry out over a few, couple of days. And, as we know, that corridor can go from rangeland, to grass, to some isolated timber pockets."

In total, the state lost a record 1.9-million acres to wildfire this season. Connolly was asked what we need to finally close out this unprecedented season, "A season ending event for 2024 would be a lot of rain. A lot of cool conditions, rain."

BEND, OR -- County Clerks across Oregon are working to address the around 300 voters registered in error by the state’s Motor Voter program. 

Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison is pleased with what he says was a quick response by the Secretary of State’s office after the mistake was discovered late last week, "The state Elections Division notified all 36 counties of any voters that were registered in error." He says, "The error was identified, the voters were identified, action has been taken. The state Elections Division sent out some information on how they wanted us to handle these voters and to notify these voters."

Dennison says his office identified 12 such people, who have never cast a ballot, "They went into the DMV, their information was passed along to the Secretary of State’s office in error and then, in turn, passed along to the counties - to us - where we activated these voters. But the voters didn’t do anything else after that." He tells KBND News, "They didn’t fill out a new registration card, they didn’t check that box to say 'I am a citizen' on a registration card or anything else. So, these people went into the DMV and, through no fault of their own, were inadvertently registered to vote." The state has admitted two out of the 300 did vote.

Dennison says the erroneous registrations have been removed from the rolls, "They will not receive a ballot unless they indicate to use that they are in fact citizens and eligible to vote." He adds more investigation is necessary, "Some of these voters may have gained citizenship between the time the error took place and now. So, having that outreach to these people is important and that’s what’s happening."

Crook County Clerk Cheryl Seely tells KBND News none of the illegal registrations have, so far, been found in her rolls. But the Secretary of State's Office has said more may be uncovered in the next few days. Seely says she's urged state elections officials to move quickly to solidify the list because military and overseas ballots must be mailed this Friday.

Tuesday is National Voter Registration Day, "It reminds folks that, ‘hey, check your information, and is your ballot going to be mailed to the correct address?’ and things like that," says Dennison. "If you have an Oregon Drivers License or ID, you can do that online. With folks having phones in their hands, they do it there; they can do it from a PC. If you don’t have access to a computer, all you need to do is fill out a paper registration form." The deadline for legal voters to register or update their registration before the November election is October 15.

BEND, OR -- The 2025 Legislative session is months away, but Deschutes County Commissioners are planning now for what they hope to get out of lawmakers. County lobbyist Doug Riggs told Commissioners Monday work is already underway to achieve the county's goals, "I really view the interim as the foundation for success for the session."

In the last few months, state lawmakers visited Central Oregon to tour the future site of an emergency coordination center in Redmond known as CORE3, they held a transportation hearing and met with insurance experts to discuss wildfire coverage. Riggs says, "All in all, really an exciting summer of legislators coming here, meeting with local officials and hearing firsthand about the important issues we have facing us." He says that kind of work in between sessions is critical, "Once the session starts, they have five minutes in their office and their bell's ringing and they've got to go meet. So really getting legislators into your region, into Deschutes County and talking to them at length is really important."

Riggs says Deschutes County 911 and fire agencies hope for an EMS modernization bill in the upcoming session, "EMS and fire districts and fire departments are all struggling with the same thing, which is the number of calls, the percentage of calls, that relate to behavioral health and homelessness have skyrocketed. And in many cases, that has put the budgets of these entities in a crisis situation."

Commissioners also hope to secure more funding for CORE3. Riggs says a strategy is already underway, "The plan with CORE3 is to submit a bill, which will be introduced by our local legislators, which would obviously allocate the second tranche of funding. The first tranche was back in 2021." He added Monday, "Legislators who came out to the site and have been getting briefings seem to have been impressed by the planning, the coordination, the effort to get all the state agencies on board. So that's a bill that looks like it'll move forward. A lot of this is dependent on the revenue forecast." The September forecast was up, which bodes well for the county's requests. But Riggs says it needs to hold. 

Commissioners also hope the legislature will change the rules for managed  homeless camps, to allow one to be developed outside of Bend's urban growth boundary.

file photo

REDMOND, OR -- Police are investigating a series of intentionally set fires on the south end of Redmond's Dry Canyon.

The arson occurred during the nights of September fifth, seventh, tenth and 13th, near the park entrances at Obsidian Avenue and Pumice Avenue.

Firefighters put out the fires quickly. Investigators are searching for a male who was captured on surveillance video September 13th.

REDMOND, OR -- Oregon's Water Resources Commission has unanimously approved a rule change that will make it harder for new development to get groundwater rights. Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch has opposed the move for months, but admits the state had to do something, "Because there has been an effect, particularly through climate change, on our water resources. We're getting less precipitation, higher temperatures and it does have an effect. I don't think what they did was correct." Among other things, the change means aquifer capacity is part of the determination for a new groundwater permit. 

Fitch, who also chairs the Central Oregon Cities Organization, fought the rule change over concerns it will limit the water available for future development. But he believes revisions are coming, "Over the past four or five months, we've been working with the Governor's office and with Water Resources, recognizing that they're going to adopt this rule. But also with the understanding that we will be working together after adoption of the rule to address particularly the need of municipalities to have access to water in the future, so we can fulfill our requirements under state and federal mandates." He tells KBND News, "I think there's a consensus, with both Water Resources and the Governor's Office and our legislative delegation, that that makes a lot of sense. So I'm very optimistic that we will accomplish that over the coming months." 

He wants a water policy that makes sense for all cities, "That's where 90% of our population resides, that's where 80% of our economic activity is. So, we need to plan for the future and make sure that we have sufficient water, and the water we do use is used in the best, efficient manner possible." Fitch says that conversation starts next week, with a meeting between the League of Oregon Cities, Water Resources and the Governor's Office.

For now, Fitch says his city made an agreement with the state to make sure there's enough water for a few decades, "We also have a current application to transfer some surface water rights out of the river into groundwater, and I think that will be successful."

BEND, OR -- Mt. Bachelor announced Friday it would reopen Saturday, following a change in evacuation zones for the Bachelor Complex of fires. The largest is the Little Lava Fire, which put Sunriver under Level 1 and Level 2 evacuation warnings earlier this week. Fire managers say zones determined Friday will remain in place through the weekend, including Level 3 "Go Now" for the forested area around Mt. Bachelor. 

Click HERE to view the real-time evacuation zone map. 

The resort issued a statement Friday afternoon, saying, "We will return to normal operations tomorrow, September 14. Our team sends a heartfelt 'thank you' to the firefighters and crews that have been working around the clock to contain the fires and protect our community. Their dedication and hard work are truly commendable." Mt. Bachelor operates a limited summer schedule, which can be found here. Visitors can also check the Mountain Report for real-time operations updates and weather.

GRESHAM, OR -- Five people were sentenced to a combined 65 years in prison for their involvement in the death of Andrew Sherrell (pictured), of Bend. Sherrell was killed, execution style, in September of 2021. Gresham Police found his body without shoes, his wallet or phone. Broken zip-ties were next to his arms and hands and the 34-year-old's positioning led investigators to believe he'd been kneeling on the curb when he was shot. 

The East County Major Crimes Team worked with Bend Police, Redmond Police and the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office, in addition to Portland-area detectives. Over the next few months, they learned Sherrell was a low-level drug dealer who owed money to his dealer, Cesar Estrada Nava. Estrada Nava also owed a substantial debt to his own supplier. According to Gresham Police, Estrada Nava enlisted Kassandra Kitchens, D'Sean Baker, CJ Wobbe and Andrew Bushnell to help kill Sherrell. 

On the day of his death, Sherrell and a friend drove from Central Oregon to Portland's Lloyd District, unaware of the plot to kill him. Kitchens lured Sherrell to a parking lot with an offer of discount fentanyl. He got in her car and she drove him down the street to where the four men were waiting. 

Detectives say Sherrell was assaulted, zip-tied, driven to various locations and eventually killed with a single gunshot on the sidewalk of an industrial area. 

Four of the five suspects were arrested in December 2021 and the fifth was taken into custoday after a pursuit with Portland Police in 2022. After years of motions, hearings and thousands of pages of documents, prosecutors settled the case with plea agreements this month. Estrada Nava and Baker were each sentenced to 20 years, Kitchens to 115 months, Bushnell to 100 months and Wobbe to 90 months. 

BEND, OR -- State lawmakers held a public hearing in Bend Thursday evening, to discuss transportation funding. Oregon Department of Transportation Director Kris Strickler opened the meeting with an outline of necessary funding, and a massive shortfall, "The takeaway for all of this is about a $1.8 billion additional need for the system," He told the Joint Committee on Transportation, "Now, of course, there's always opportunities to be more efficient. There are streamlining efforts that we have been embarking on in the last three biennia and will continue to do so. And we're holding a significant number of vacancies, even as we speak, even before we get to into the budget challenge of '25-27."

DMV's regional manager also talked about how chronic understaffing impacts local operations and customers, "In 2023, we had to close an office in this area for all or part of the day, due to staffing, 16 times. And already this year, we've seen an additional 16 staffing-related closures."

The Joint Committee on Transportation is tasked with recommending ODOT's next budget and Central Oregonians weighed in. Nancy Stephens is blind and is one of a numer of people who complained transit services are inconsistent, "I do appreciate the paratransit service here, but it can take hours to get one errand done." One man said, "I would love to take the bus. That would be a safe, climate-friendly solution, that once again helps reduce congestion for everyone else. But that's impossible because Cascades East Transit only runs until 5:30 p.m."

Others, like Charlene Wills of Bend, are frustrated with pedestrian access at roundabouts, "Which are at this point in time, are still very unsafe for blind, visually impaired pedestrians, and those who use walkers and wheelchairs."

Other comments included, "You must change ODOT's priorities, to emphasize maintenance, safety and protecting our climate," requests for continued plowing of Cascade Lakes Highway in the winter and a proposal to fine people who use studded tires. And one person asked for better high-speed options, "Specifically, the promotion of a lightrail system between Bend and Redmond."

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler also testified, saying, "I think we need an ODOT 2.0." She asked the committee to consider the big picture, beyond highways, "That includes making sure we're investing properly in multi-modal networks, in Safe Routes to schools, transit, rail, everything else that people can use to get around in safe ways."

Prior to the evening hearing at OSU-Cascades, the committee visited local transportation infrastructure and took part in a roundtable discussion with elected officials and local transportation experts. 

This was the ninth stop on the committee's state tour. The group is in The Dalles Friday. 

BEND, OR -- Central Oregon Community College is asking for input on what qualities the public wants to see in the school’s next president. COCC hosts a virtual forum Tuesday, for the Presidential Search Advisory Committee to hear from the community.

The forum is September 17, from noon to 1 p.m. and will be held on Zoom. Those interested in attending can email VP of College Advancement Zak Boone for the meeting link. Laura Craska Cooper, COCC board chair and chair of the presidential search advisory committee, said in a statement, “We welcome public participation in this process and encourage community members from across our district to let us know what their priorities are for this important community leadership position.”

Last month, the committee narrowed down its priorities for the next school leader. The search is led by a Mississippi-based recruiting firm that partnered with COCC on its last presidential search.

Current President Dr. Laura Chesley plans to retire next June.

BEND, OR -- Welcoming Week begins in Bend Friday, designed to foster a welcoming environment for all people. Despite its name, the seventh annual series of events is actually more than two weeks long this year, running through September 28th. 

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler says there are lots of activities to choose from, "I encourage folks to go to Welcoming Week on our website, and just check those out. Those are from community organizations, different groups around town, and just a lot of things for people to learn and do and have fun; you know, movies and events, and things like that."

Kickoff events Friday include a community climbing night at Bend Rock Gym and a Spanish-language viewing of Pixar’s Up, at the Tower Theatre.

Among other scheduled activities, OSU-Cascades hosts an outdoor family movie night on September 27th, with a screening of the film Encanto.

BEND, OR -- Police officers in Bend are getting training this week on Oregon's new drug re-criminalization law that took effect September first. Bend PD's Sheila Miller says it's important everyone understands the implementation of House Bill 4002, "But also, the opportunities that they have to help people. It's really a carrot or stick approach and so making sure they understand those options that they have." Miller tells KBND News, "Quarterly, our officers actually do an inservice, that's a full day of training. The first hour and a half of this month's inservice that's happening this week is the chief, the jail captain, som DAs are all spending about an hour and a half with officers, going over what this program looks like, what the police officer's role is, making sure they know the law and know how to properly apply it."

The enforcement of drug offenses has changed a lot in recent years, "First there was PCS, possession of a controlled substance, then there was Measure 110, and now there's this new house bill," says Miller, "So that's a lot of moving parts and we want our officers to understand their role."

Police can now offer people caught with user amounts of drugs deflection, which means criminal charges are dropped if they complete a treatment program. But Miller notes, "They can also say, 'I'm not dealing with this, you're going to jail.' And, that's well within our officers' rights. That's their opportunity to determine what is the best move. Our officers have to make these types of decisions every day."

Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels says this weeks training is important, "To let patrol officers know, 'These are the criteria for admission to this program.' And, 'this is the path that an individual would take if they're referred into the deflection program.'" He says the jail will also present it as an option during booking, and it's offered again during the court process, for those who qualify.

According to Gunnels, several people have accepted deflection, since the program began almost two weeks ago.

BEND, OR -- City managers from across Central Oregon held their annual forum at Tetherow Resort Wednesday.  Community members and business leaders heard progress reports on the 6 cities.

"Really what events like this do is it gives each of us because we are individual organizations, individual cities an opportunity to share a story with a wider audience," La Pine's Geoff Wullschlager tells KBND News, "There's a lot of people say maybe from Redmond don't really know what's happening in La Pine or folks in Madras aren't familiar with what's going on Sisters."

Prineville's Steve Forrester says cities have to work together for common projects, like highway infrastructure, "And so those are the opportunities that we are faced with is how do we stay up to speed, number 1, and ahead of the game hopefully, on all the transportation issues."

The tri-county region continues to pace the state in population growth, and the City Managers have their hands full figuring out logistics to support the growth. "The demand continues to be very, very strong for all of us in Central Oregon. We need to find unique and innovative ways to get ahead of the game. It's very important that we have that infrastructure ready to go when the developer comes to town," Forrester says, "So we mentioned up there amongst the team, amongst the city managers is getting in front of ODOT getting in front of other governmental agencies."

Wildfire risk is another shared concern. Wullschlager points out the similarities between Sisters and La Pine, "We are in a unique situation between the actual amount of fuel and the jurisdictional interface between us and essentially the federal government."

Efforts to create more workforce housing were also highlighted during the gathering hosted by the City Club of Central Oregon.

SUNRIVER, OR -- Mt. Bachelor remains under a Level Three evacuation order and will stay closed Thursday, as the Bachelor Complex of fires grows to more than 10,000 acres. 

In a video posted to Mt. Bachelor's Facebook and Instagram pages, President John Merriman said Wednesday, "Out of the abundance of safety, we are still going to be under the evacuation order for the short term. I don’t exactly know how long, so we’re going to be taking it day by day. Every afternoon, we’ll put something out on social media on status for the next day." He says the resort's infrastructure is not in danger, "We just really want to give the Forest Service all the support that we can, and kind of keep that area clear, so that they can do what they need to do to keep us safe."

Parts of Sunriver also under a Level Two “Be Set” warning. Deschutes Public Library has postponed the grand opening celebration planned for Saturday at the Sunriver Library. The Sunriver branch remains open while under a Level 1 evacuation warning and officials say the building is designated as a Cleaner Air Facility by the county, due to its high-quality air filtration system. The postponed event will be scheduled at a later date. 

On the firelines, Operations Section Chief Nathan Goodrich says crews tried to take advantage Wednesday of favorable weather conditions, "Higher humidities, lower temperature and certainly with some of the precipitation’s going to help us out. But, trying to get a little bit more of a proactive approach." In the Bachelor Complex, Goodrich expects the Backside Fire to be fully contained soon, "On the backside of Mt. Bachelor; they’re doing really well on that fire. Pretty much in mop-up phase, they have line all the way around that."

Around 30 fires make up the complex; the largest is Little Lava, "We have been talking about the Backside Fire and 911 Fire, and a couple of other ones over the past couple of days. But the Little Lava Fire, over the last couple of days, with the northwest and west wind, has made a pretty good push to the east. I’m sure a lot of folks saw that column," Goodrich said Wednesday morning. 

East of La Pine, the Flat Top and Firestone fires are much bigger than the Bachelor Complex. Goodrich says Tuesday was tough for crews on those lines, "Specifically out here, kind out in the desert. We had a very active fire day, lots of fire growth on all flanks of both incidents." He says there are a lot of reasons to protect that portion of the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, "Cabin Lake Guard Station is out there, the BPD powerline and substation at Sand Creek, certainly private land and cultural resources." 

The Flat Top Fire has grown to more than 30,000 acres, and the Firestone Fire is over 8,700 acres. Goodrich believes they will soon merge into one, bordered by China Hat Road.

With large fires forcing the closure of the Three Sisters Wilderness and portions of the Deschutes National Forest, all Central Cascades Wilderness Permits have also  been canceled for the time being. 

11:30 a.m. UPDATE -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office has lowered the evacuation level for Sunriver, Fall River Estates and other areas previously in Level 2. They are now in Level 1 (Get Ready). Mt. Bachelor remains in the Level 3 (Go Now) zone, which remains unchanged. The current map of evacuation zones can be found HERE. 

BEND, OR -- Scam Jam comes to Central Oregon Thursday and Friday. The free event is hosted by Oregon’s Division of Financial Regulation and AARP. It brings together experts from the Federal Trade Commission, law enforcement and others to help educate the public on how to spot a scam and protect against fraud.

Last year, Oregonians lost an estimated $10 million to frauds and scams.

Thursday, September 12, Scam Jam is at the Larkspur Community Center in Bend (1600 SE Reed Mkt Rd) from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, September 13, it’s at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Station (301 S Elm Street, Sisters), from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Registration is not required but encouraged:

• Register for the Bend Scam Jam
• Register for the Sisters Scam Jam

BEND, OR -- Women who believe they are at higher than average risk of breast cancer can get a free cancer screening at St. Charles Bend on Thursday. 

Clinical Genetic Counselor Brigitte Cronier says most women can wait for their annual mammogram, "Around the age of 40, we start recommending yearly mammograms for all women, to try to detect breast cancer at its earliest stages, when it's ideally more treatable." She tells KBND News, "Most women's risk of getting breast cancer is usually around 11-12%, over the course of their life. And, depending on your personal history and also your family history, sometimes your lifetime risk of breast cancer is estimated to be quite a bit higher than that." Those high-risk women may need more testing, "Either more frequent breast cancer screening, beyond doing an annual mammogram," says Cronier, "And we may also start screening you earlier than age 40."

St. Charles officials say they know not all high-risk women are getting those earlier or more frequent screenings. Cronier says the goal of this first ever drop-in event is to remove all barriers, "I mean, it's free, it's right after work. Our hope is that these women, if they find out about it, they'll just come and it'll take five or 10 minutes. There's no physical exam involved, no breast exam. It's just going to be us asking you some questions, we'll do a risk assessment at that point, and then give you some information to make sure you can get the appropriate follow up." Patients need to bring minimal information, "Some personal history, which you probably know off the top of your head, and some family history, which you may not know off the top of your head. So, if you need to call Aunt Susan or Uncle Bob, you can do that and bring that information in with you when you come."
In addition to the breast cancer screening, patients will also be assessed to determine if they qualify for hereditary cancer risk testing. The drop-in free screening event is at the St Charles Cancer Center in Bend, Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. More information is available by calling 541-706-6729 or visiting the event webpage.

BEND, OR -- Bend Police say they've arrested nearly two-dozen people connected to an organized retail theft ring. The agency's Sheila Miller says the investigation started almost nine months ago, "Police investigated a shoplifting case at WinCo back in January. There were a bunch of suspects and during a review, trying to figure out who all of those suspects were, they ultimately connected multiple shoplifting and theft calls to a couple of the people." That led to a broader look at more cases, "They conducted a months-long investigation and identified at least 25 thefts from businesses throughout Bend, and 31 suspects," says Miller, "Those ranged in age from 15 to 46. And they were able to identify some patterns and behaviors and tactics of how these thefts were carried out."

Detectives believe more incidents went unreported, "Some retailers have policies that prevent them from reporting shoplifting. And we think that those may have taken place in other parts of Central Oregon, as well."

Miller tells KBND News, "We figure, in those 25 documented thefts that were late 2023, early 2024, more than $22,000 in merchandise was stolen. And it was from big-box retailers, mostly, like Fred Meyer, Walmart, WinCo, Dicks, that sort of stuff." Over the next several months, officers executed search warrants at homes and hotel rooms throughout Bend, "We actually, in some of those search warrants, were able to recover some of the merchandise and return it to some stores, which is always kind of a fun thing for police officers to do. They don't often get to be the people people are happy to see when they show up."

Investigators believe the ringleader was 29-year-old Roger Rodriguez Molina, of Bend. "That person was actually charged with Organized Retail Theft, which is a Class B felony," says Miller, "And he's scheduled to be back in court in late September."

The crime of Organized Retail Theft comes with harsher penalties in Oregon, under 2023 legislation that took effect in January.

BEND, OR -- Ten days after Oregon's drug re-criminalization law took effect, Deschutes County's District Attorney says people caught with user-amounts of drugs have been charged with the new misdemeanor. "I don't have an exact number, but it's in the tens, at this point, of people who have been arrested or cited to appear. There have also been a number of referrals to treatment." D.A. Steve Gunnels says some of those eligible for deflection have chosen to accept treatment instead of jail time, "If the treatment providers say the person is doing well, has done everything they're supposed to do, I've agreed that I won't file a criminal charge, if the problem is essentially resolved, at least for the moment, with the drug use." He tells KBND News, "I'm leaving that decision up to treatment providers, if it's a reasonable recommendation based on the performance of the person in treatment."

Previous Coverage: House Passes M110 Reform Package

For most people caught with user-amounts of drugs, Gunnels says, the decision to participate in deflection occurs at the jail, "The Deschutes County Sheriff's office has taken on the role of the manager of this program, so that they would make the referral to treatment. Treatment people would come to the jail, pick up the individual, take them to treatment, if they're amenable to treatment. " But, police can forgo jail and take the person directly to treatment, "There's a place, here in Bend, where the individual can be just dropped off at treatment by the police officer. And that's happened. That happened on Friday of last week; that's the first of those instances that I've heard about. And that individual is reportedly doing very well in treatment."

He and local law enforcement talked recently with service providers about how many clients they can take, "Drug treatment providers assured our group that they had enough capacity to handle the maximum amount of people who could be referred to this program, given the historical trends prior to Measure 110, which was in the range of 700 people per year."

Gunnels says he knows some may get caught with drugs again, even after completing deflection, "The person can be just referred to court. Or if the police officer believes that, actually, treatment just didn't take the first time, the police officer, in their discretion, can say, 'I'm willing to give you another chance to get back into treatment'." He says the goal is to provide every opportunity for the person to accept treatment and be successful. 

BEND, OR -- The Legislature's Joint Committee on Transportation brings its statewide tour to Bend on Thursday, to discuss sustainable funding. Kim Curley, with Commute Options, encourages Central Oregonians to attend the public hearing. "Because the things are going to happen. And if they didn't hear from you, the things are going to happen without your ideas." She tells KBND News, "This is the opportunity that everyone says they don't get, which is to give your input to our elected officials about what you want our transportation system to look like in the future."

The day starts with the group of 14 lawmakers and other officials riding a CET bus to visit Bend-area transportation facilities. Then, they'll take part in a roundtable with local leaders and transit officials. Then, they'll hold a public hearing Thursday evening. 

Curley attended similar hearings in Eugene, Albany, Ontario and Hermiston, and will participate in the Bend roundtable. She says it's a chance for the committee - which is primarily legislators from the Willamette Valley - to learn about transportation issues elsewhere, "So, when these elected officials come away from their jurisdictions and over to the less populated part of the state, it's very illuminating for them to see how far people go, what kind of patterns folks have to get into to get to work, to get to school." She adds, "Just how far apart things are and how much our economy really depends on good transportation connectivity for all modes. And, it's just a super awesome opportunity to come and tell your two-minute long local story to these folks."

The committee is considering ways to create a sustainable funding source for Oregon's Department of Transportation, We're looking at a budget hole at ODOT that might possibly reduce the size of the staff of ODOT by one in five, because the gas tax funding and the spending are not matching anymore," says Curley. 

Bend is the ninth stop on the statewide tour and Curley says all of the public hearings have been scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m; a time she finds frustrating, "All of the ones in eastern and Central Oregon do not have public transit service until that late. So, if you do ride the bus because you don't drive, you can't come to these meetings to give your input, because you can't get home." Time permitting, the committee will take remote public comment. Click HERE to register by 5 p.m. Wednesday. The full meeting agenda is HERE, including information on how to watch the livestream. 

Thursday's public hearing starts at 5 p.m. at OSU Cascades' Ray Hall. Friday, the committee stops in The Dalles.

Image: The Joint Committee on Transportation takes public testimony during a recent meeting in Hermiston, OR (08/30/24)

BEND, OR -- Bend-La Pine Schools must fill a vacancy on the school board, following the April resignation of Melissa Barnes Dholakia. The goal is to appoint someone to the at-large Zone Six seat who can serve through June 2025. The position will be on the May ballot, for the person who will serve the second half of the current four-year term.

Applications for the appointment must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. September 30th. Click HERE for more on the board and how to apply. An informational meeting will be held this Thursday, September 12, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the district office (520 NW Wall St. Bend), for those interested in learning more about the opening.

WASCO COUNTY, OR -- A suspected sex offender may be on the run in Oregon. Adam Renk was indicted for multiple crimes against a child under the age of 12, following the report of a victim in June. As part of the investigation, Oregon State Police learned the 39-year-old suspect had also been charged in an unrelated case in Alabama, involving an 11-year-old victim. 

His Oregon charges include first degree sexual abuse and sodomy. In Alabama, he's accused of child sex abuse and torture.

Renk posted bond in Alabama and was released. He was last seen leaving that state on August 7. He has ties to Oregon and Wasco County, and authorities believe he could be headed to our state, possibly driving a converted Ford ambulance that's now painted two-tone white over gray, with Oregon license plates 353-JWK. 

Renk is white, 6'1" tall, 175 pounds with blue eyes and brown hair. Anyone with information on his location or other possible victims is asked to contact the Wasco County Sheriff's Office at 541-506-2580, or OSP Det. Cassie Bantz through dispatch at 800-442-0776. 

BEND, OR -- Lightning with very little rain over the weekend led to numerous new fires, mostly in Central Oregon. Mt. Bachelor is inside the evacuation zone for the Backside Fire and shutdown summer operations Saturday and Sunday. The resort could reopen Thursday. The Backside Fire was estimated at 80 acres Sunday night. It and the 1,000-acre Little Lava Fire make up wha's now called the Bachelor Complex, which has prompted numerous evacuations. Click HERE for more information. 

The Firestone Fire, just north of the Deschutes-Lake County line, is 6,500 acres. The larger Flat Top Fire is just south of the county line, and is 13,680. 

In the Sisters Wilderness, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for portions of the Pacific Crest Trail, after the Linton Creek Fire broke out Saturday.

And, near the town of Tiller, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation warnings for the Devil's Knob Fire, which is estimated at 3,700 acres. 

Photo courtesy of Central Oregon Fire Information. 

JOHN DAY, OR -- Oregon's 15th and 16th conflagration fires of the season are burning in rural Central Oregon. The Rail Ridge Fire, south of Dayville, is 146,601 acres, and 7% contained.  Northeast of Mitchell, the Shoe Fly Fire is 26,409 acres and 26% contained, as of Monday morning.

Fire managers and state officials held a meeting in John Day Sunday afternoon, to brief the community on the Rail Ridge Fire. Scott McFarland, Paulina District Ranger on the Ochoco National Forest, says six fires started on Labor Day and quickly merged into one, "Since then, we've seen a lot of exponential growth of this fire. So, people have been really heavily engaged throughout. We ordered the Gray Team 3 very early on. They happened to be pre-positioned for just this type of thing." He adds, "We're ordering constantly, getting all the resources we possibly could, highlighting the importance of this fire. It got moved up as the number one priority in the region, so we have been getting a ton of resources. This was not like a 'let it burn' type of situation. We threw everything we had at it as fast as we could, it just got out of hand pretty quickly."

Six homes have been destroyed by the Rail Ridge Fire, and 260 more are still threatened. Evacuations orders are in place in Crook County. The fire also led to the closure of the Dayville Post Office Monday. Dayville customers can pick up their mail at the Mount Vernon Post Office.

Fire Behavior Analyst Renee Henault says fuels are perfect for the fire to spread fast, "Everything is extremely critically dry. The large logs didn't get that snow this winter that helps them recover the moisture, so they're burning all the way down to white ash, which a lot of times, those tend to check and slow the fire a little bit. And this summer, it's not happening. Plus we had the late rain in the spring, which created a bigger grass crop than normal." But, she says relief is on the way, "The next system that's coming in for the Pacific Northwest, the good news is by Wednesday we should have temperatures in the 60s, 70% chance of rain." Click HERE for more on the Rail Ridge Fire, including daily operational updates.

In Wheeler County, the Shoe Fly Fire threatens 65 homes. Both incidents have task forces assigned by the State Fire Marshal's office to protect structures. More on the Shoe Fly Fire can be found HERE. 

PRINEVILLE, OR -- A portion of Big Summit Prairie is listed for sale, and the Forest Service is exploring an opportunity to purchase the ranch located in the middle of the Ochoco National Forest. 

Crook County Commissioner Seth Crawford doesn't like the idea. "I am totally against the federal government purchasing more land in Crook County," He said last week. "I think we, as a county, should engage the Congressman and talk to them about what we can do to have a united front to stop the federal lands from expanding in our county."

Commissioner Brian Barney also has concerns about the potential for a USFS purchase, "My personal opinion on a county standpoint, is that there's tax revenue that's gone that we won't receive. I think there are other and better uses to that property; and it may not be agriculture." But, he noted, "The landowner has the right to sell his property, as anyone else has a right to do it. So, I think that's his right. I don't feel that it's up to me to come in and dictate who and what he can sell his property for." Crawford told Barney, "We're not saying somebody can't buy it. We're just saying that we don't think that the federal government should take it over."

Commissioner Susan Hermreck said, "I feel that we haven't had public input. And what my feelings are doesn't matter. It matters what the taxpayers' feelings are. So I would like to see more public input." She added, "I just think we're a little too premature, until we know what the bulk of our citizenry wants." Hermreck says she's talked to the USFS, "Forestry and their stakeholders are sitting back for a year. And my suggestion to them was: it needs to come out in written form, it needs to go out on social media, there needs to be public meetings."

KBND News talked with a representative from the Ochoco National Forest who says the Forest Service has not set a timeline has been set, talked to the seller, nor determined whether a purchase is feasible. If the USFS decides it's interested in moving forward, officials say it would hold multiple public meetings before a final decision is made. 

The more than 9,000-acre parcel is listed for $20 million.

Photo courtesy of Texas Ranch Sales LLC

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County District Attorney has asked a judge to dismiss charges "without prejudice" against Brian Lee Wynn, accused of killing a man in May. 

David Hickman was found dead at his campsite near the Bend DMV on May 30th. Wynn was arrested a short time later, and indicted by a Grand Jury for Hickman's death. At the time, D.A. Steve Gunnels told KBND News there was no known connection between th two. However, surveillance footage showed Wynn with the 62-year-old victim shortly before the murder. During the investigation, Bend Police asked for help locating a blanket Wynn was seen wearing around the time of Hickman's death (pictured). It was later recovered. Both men were members of Bend's homeless community. 

Friday, the D.A.'s office announced forensic testing on the evidence gathered during the investigation did not provide conclusive evidence that Wynn is responsible for Hickman's death. 

The homicide investigation is ongoing.

TERREBONNE, OR -- A Terrebonne manufactured home was destroyed by a Thursday evening fire. Redmond Fire & Rescue were dispatched to F Avenue at about 6:20 p.m. While en route, they saw a large column of smoke and arrived to find the home, an outbuilding and a vehicle on fire. Crews also had to contend with a powerline "arcing" on the ground. 

Firefighters contained the blaze to the property and were able to protect nearby homes. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Two people who evacuated the home refused medical treatment. One firefighter suffered a minor knee injury at the scene. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners and Bend City Councilors hammered out details Thursday on a plan to create what they're calling a 'Temporary Safe Rest Area' on city and county-owned property on Juniper Ridge, for people living in vehicles in that area north of Bend. 

"We have some resources, we can go farther if we can kind of pool them together and allocate them in a logical way," said city manager Eric King of the plan to combine budget and personnel.

It will be staffed with security and service providers. "We've got to know that they just don't fall out of their pathway to rejoining society," said commission chair Patti Adair, who also leads the board of the county's Coordinated Houseless Response Office (CHRO).

"Having an idea of where people are coming from as they're staying there and also where they're going, we know how our government dollars are being used and if they're being used well, and we know also if we are providing the types of services and shelter options that are homeless needs," said mayor pro-tem, and CHRO vice-chair Megan Perkins of the approximately 170-acre parcel west of the railroad tracks. 120 acres are owned by the city, and 50 by the county.

Officials anticipate some legal and other hurdles. "I don't want us to look past the legal land-use issues. We need to begin work on that immediately," said county administrator Nick Lelack.

The plan will start this October with giving notice of the closure to camping on the eastside of the railroad tracks. 

Councilor Mike Riley said he's heard many concerns about the fire risk, "This should be a little bit more broad in scope that we're both evaluating and continuing to coordinate on fuel reduction and other fire risk reduction strategies."

Commissioners and councilors unanimously agreed on the proposal. "I feel like we've been doing a lot of things. We've spent millions of dollars in this county, but I want to see some results," said Adair.

The opening of the 'Temporary Safe Rest Area' is set for May 2025.

BEND, OR -- Bend Park and Recreation invites the community to its first ever Pavilion-Palooza, Sunday afternoon. "Wanting to just recognize the bookend of summer and have a family-friendly event to kind of celebrate it," says the district's Julie Brown. There will be, "Live music at the Pavilion, the roller skating activities are going to be available. We also have some skatepark features there, we've got the cornhole boards out, having some food and beverage available for purchase."

Brown tells KBND News, "It's going to be a $5 entry fee to come to this. All of the proceeds are going to go to our Bend Park and Recreation Foundation that makes scholarships available in the community." She adds, "We have found that there's a lot more need in our community. As a result, we're trying to do more to raise more funds for scholarships, so we can reduce that barrier and allow people to participate. Over the last several years, we've really increased the amount of scholarship funds that we make available in the community. About 1,300 families, and children in particular, have benefitted from this. Kind of looking at what are those financial barriers to being able to participate? Whether it's in our KIDS Inc. program or youth sports or swim lessons, or whatever it might be."

Brown acknowledges this will be a busy weekend in Bend, "You could go to the Great Rotary Duck Race earlier in the day, and then you can pop over and join us for the Pavilion-Palooza."

Pavilion-Palooza is Sunday from 2-5 p.m. at the Pavilion in Bend.

BEND, OR -- A candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff is taking legal action against the agency. In the tort claim filed this week by Sgt. Kent Vander Kamp’s attorney, Vanderkamp says when announced his intention to run for office, outgoing Sheriff Shane Nelson tried to prevent him from interacting with the public and targeted him for various internal investigations. Nelson has endorsed Capt. William Bailey in the November election.

The document also alleges his opponent and the recently appointed Undersheriff Paul Garrison have "a vendetta against Vander Kamp." Click HERE to read the full filing.  

Sgt. Vander Kamp's attorney has filed similar claims over the last several months for three other Sheriff's Office employees who say they faced retaliation for not supporting Capt. Bailey's run for Sheriff. Attorney Andrew Mittendorf told Central Oregon Daily News, "Really, none of these guys want to do this. They just feel like they have to at this point, to protect their careers, and also to protect the election integrity." He went on to say, "It is politics. But it certainly is not a calculated move by the Vander Kamp campaign. It just happened to be the timing that it is."

Through a statement from his campaign, Sgt. Vander Kamp said in part, "As your next Sheriff, I will have no tolerance for attempts by authoritarian regimes to exploit our democratic system." He went on to say, "I will not stand for the targeting, harassing or violating consitutional rights of anyone, including Sheriff's Office employees."

A DCSO spokesperson issued a statement to KBND News saying, "The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office does not agree with the contents of the filing and is prepared to defend its position if necessary."

PRINEVILLE, OR -- The same day Oregon's Board of Forestry approved rules for the new state Wildfire Hazard Map, Crook County Commissioners said they have multiple issues with how the map was developed and what designations were applied to their area.

County Community Development Director Will Van Vactor told Commissioners Wednesday the map is inconsistent, "Lots that are also in the wildland-urban interface that are completely surrounded by lots that are only classified as moderate risk." Most notably, he says, areas in Deschutes and Crook counties with similar topography, climate and population are assigned different hazard levels, "Sunriver and Black Butte are both moderate risk, when portions of Juniper Canyon, for example, are high risk - when even staff from OSU acknowledge that there's grave risk involved in both Black Butte and Sunriver in terms of the risk of a catastrophic fire."

Van Vactor also says there's a lack of due process for property owners, "So, if somebody does some good work creating defensible space around their property or eliminating vegetation that may pose a fire risk, there's no opportunity to have their property reclassified." And, he believes, "It puts our Community Development staff in a position where they're trying to enforce whatever higher building code may be required without understanding why, because the map isn't self explanatory."

Commissioner Brian Barney says the whole process should be re-evaluated, "You can compare Black Butte, and more specifically with Sunriver, as being a lower fire hazard than some of the areas over here, especially Juniper Canyon, then definitely they didn't go to the scene and look." And, he thinks the lack of due process, after the initial 90-day appeal period, will leave some property owners unable to build or renovate their homes, "Because the building requirements are much more stringent, it's much more expensive, it puts people against other people and where they live. And discourages them from living in those areas."

County Commissioner Susan Hermreck is concerned about seeing some waterways designated as moderate risk, "The fact that they have lakes designated as moderate wildfire, I really do think they need to go back and take a hard look."

Commissioners signed a letter this week to the Governor, state lawmakers and OSU, which developed the map, asking for more review of the determination process.

BEND, OR – Oregon 5^th District Congresswoman Lori Chavez-DeRemer was in Bend Wednesday meeting with community and business leaders. She heard about the priorities and challenges local businesses face. “Child care is one of those. Taxes is another. Labor force. Where are we going to find our labor force here to support these businesses when cost of housing is way too high in the state of Oregon and in Bend, it's extremely high,” she says adding she wants fresh ideas, “I think that we're on the precipice of finding some good policy, but we have to continue these conversations with business owners and with employees, and what that looks like.”

The Republican supports creating tax credits, and grants to help both businesses and its employees, “We can get some good legislation and then we have to make sure that we're paying attention to the rule making so that the intent of the policy of the new laws are benefits to everybody.”

She tells KBND News she’s working on a bill endorsed by the U.S Chamber of Commerce that would offer tax incentives to businesses and its employees.

Chavez-Deremer also met with CASA - Court Appointed Special Advocates to hear about their work with Central Oregon foster children. “I think it is important to recognize when there’s a gap in our communities when we’re supporting our young children.”

The Congresswoman was also recognized at yesterday’s roundtable by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with their Advocate for American Business Award.

Her Democratic challenger in the November election Janelle Bynum campaigned in Bend and Redmond last weekend. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Commissioners meet Thursday afternoon with the Bend City Council. County Administrator Nick Lelack says growth and solid waste services are on the agenda, but one topic will take most of the time. "I expect the majority of the discussion will then need to focus on where do we go next in terms of addressing homelessness at Juniper Ridge," Lelack told Commissioners Wednesday. 

City Manager Eric King tells KBND News everyone is focused on finding ways to help people without permanent housing, "How can we really get clear with folks about the need for getting folks out of the woods? It's just not a safe place for anybody." But, he notes, it needs to be a broad effort, "Coupled with a surge of services, to help folks get into housing and needed services. So, talking about that as a concept, not just with Juniper Ridge, but some of the other large encampments in the region."

Commissioner Patti Adair says recent fires traced to encampments in La Pine and Juniper Ridge create a sense of urgency, "We've had a lot of warnings. We have a community that's on pins and needles and it's really appropriate that we are meeting." She added Wednesday, "I'm looking forward to that meeting. The fact that we need to go forward with somewhat of a temporary managed camp that's actually going to protect the people in it and our citizens outside." Commissioners have had numerous discussions about a managed homeless camp, but have yet to settle on a location, partly due to zoning challenges and state rules, "It's a no-win situation, isn't it? But we've got to make it a winning for the community," said Adair, who also sits on the board for the Coordinated Houseless Response Office, "We've got to figure out a way that temporarily we can actually get Deschutes County in a safer position."

Commissioner Tony DeBone says he supports offering a site, "Outside the city of Bend on county land, the south part of the county's land at Juniper Ridge area, north of Beechcraft Lane. So that would be something that's tangible."

Thursday's city-county meeting starts at 2 p.m. at the County services building in Bend. It'll also be livestreamed HERE. 
Commissioners meet next month with the Redmond City Council, and in November with the cities of Sisters and La Pine. 

REDMOND, OR -- Construction of the new Redmond Library is moving into the home stretch. "We're about to deliver a massive gift to the citizens of Redmond and I can't wait to see them open it," says Deschutes Public Library Director Todd Dunkelberg. It's now a two-story, 40,000-square-foot facility at the site of the old library, at the corner of Ninth and Deschutes, "If you're familiar with the downtown Bend library, it's a little bit bigger than that building," he says, "And much more public space."

Those areas for the public include a "maker" space, "Where people can get together and create things, learn how to do 3D printing, have really hands-on activities; along with some additional small meeting spaces, where people can come in and do some craft projects in a smaller setting."

The features in the new facility were determined by a community survey, "What we really heard over and over is the need for meeting space, in general, in Redmond. So, we've created a large meeting room that holds about 300 people, our community room. And then, it has a divider that can cut that room in half, and then you could have two groups of over 150 people each, meeting at the same time."

Dunkelberg tells KBND News construction is on schedule, "Right now, we're looking at right about the first week of December, so right after Thanksgiving. We're going to be doing a lot of work getting everything- as a bigger building, it's going to take us time to get it stocked and ready, and get all our equipment in there, as well."

The project is funded by the 2020 bond.

BEND, OR -- A southwest Bend home is considered a total loss after a Tuesday evening fire. Bend Fire & Rescue officials say a neighbor noticed smoke coming from the home at about 9:50 p.m. and called 911. Firefighters arrived on Chuckanut Drive and were able to stop the fire from spreading to nearby buildings. 

No one was home at the time. Bend Fire also says no smoke detectors were heard during the incident, and it's unclear if the home had any working alarms. The fire caused around $75,000 in damage and the cause is under investigation. 

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Oregon again has more than 20 active large fires, thanks in part to weekend lightning. The largest new fire is burning in Grant County. The Rail Ridge Fire is 61,433 acres, burning near Martin Creek on the South Fork of the John Day River.  

Near Mitchell, the Shoe Fly Fire (pictured) is now 20,247 acres. A management team took command of that incident Tuesday evening. Near Tygh Valley, more air resources were assigned to the 15,000-acre Oak Canyon Fire, which is considered 25% contained. And, southeast of Post, the Wiley Flat Fire is now over 10,000 acres. The Crook County Sheriff's Office revised evacuation zones Tuesday for that incident.

In Klamath County, the Copperfield Fire is fully lined. It's estimated at about 3,800 acres. FEMA authorized the use fo federal funds to help pay for that firefight.

Kaitlyn Webb, with the U.S. Forest Service says fire season is far from over, "We saw a little slow in fire season, when we had that drop in temperatures, both regionally and across the northwest. But that potential for new starts has remained high, and the activity that increased over the weekend is a real testament to that." She tells KBND News, "We would need prolonged wetting rain or snow, in order to significantly impact moisture levels in larger fuels, like logs or stumps." 

Public use restrictions remain in place, including a ban on open fires, "Whenever you're headed out to recreate, make sure you check for fire restrictions before even considering packing what you need for a campfire," says Webb, "And opt to use a liquid or pressurized gas stove instead." Drivers should also keep vehicles off dry vegetation. And if you're towing something, make sure chains don't drag on the road.

SISTERS, OR -- A four-car crash led to the closure of Highway 20 in downtown Sisters for about an hour Tuesday. Investigators say three of the cars were parked at the time.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, a Wilsonville man was driving westbound at about 1 p.m., when he reached for something in his car. He drifted out of his lane and hit the mirror of a parked car, then the left rear corner of another. That second impact caused his vehicle to flip onto its side. The second parked car was pushed into the rear of a third.

No one was hurt. The 39-year-old driver and two children were able to get out of the overturned car on their own. 

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County voters will decide in November whether to add two people to the currently three-member Board of County Commissioners. "I just think that a three-person governmental body is just inherently dysfunctional," says chief petitioner John Heylin. He tells KBND News he’s hearing a lot of excitement for his proposal. 

Current Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone doesn’t think it’s the right time, "We are a growing county, so at some point, it’s probably the right thing to be doing. I’ve always figured when we get to about 250,000 people we should do this, and we’re not quite there yet." And, he believes adding two Commissioners would be expensive, "If we add $500,000 - so that’s salaries, benefits, office support, overhead; so it’s a $500,000 estimate - it’s going to take it directly away from services on the ground."

Heylin doesn’t think DeBone’s budget argument has merit, "He voted - him and Patti voted to give themselves $20-30,000 pay raises. So, if he was actually concerned about money, why doesn’t he knock down his own salary?" And, he says, the move to a five-member board has nothing to do with population; other, much smaller counties have already made the shift, including Hood River County, which is 1/8 the size of Deschutes. Heylin believes a larger board would be more efficient and not stretched as thin, "It’s about a properly functioning government and having proper representation on the county level, as well as Commissioners that can have a coffee together and talk about interests." Under public meeting laws, two members of a three-person board is a quorum and considered an official meeting, but two members of a five-person board is not. 

Commissioner DeBone also criticizes the measure for not creating geographic districts for what would be the five-member board; all members would be elected “at-large." DeBone tells KBND News, "When I talk to voters, they say, ‘yeah, I’d like to have my commissioner in my area.’ That’s not what we’re talking about here. We’re just going to add two." Heylin says he asked Commissioners to send that idea to voters, but two of the three refused, "They are allowed to put on districts any time they want." He adds, as a small business owner, he didn’t have time for that second step, "I’m just one dude. That would have required a whole second petition, which was a bit much for me. I’m not an organization - I don’t have major backing."

CHILOQUIN, OR -- Several new fires are burning in Oregon. In Klamath County, the Copperfield Fire has burned more than 3,500 acres, east of Chiloquin, growing in gusty winds. Governor Tina Kotek declared it a conflagration Sunday evening, clearing the way for the Oregon State Fire Marshal to mobilize an incident management team and eight task forces, including crews from Lane County and Central Oregon. Its cause hasn’t been determined. Chiloquin schools are closed Tuesday due to uncertain fire conditions and air quality issues. In Central Oregon, the cause of a new fire near Tygh Valley is also under investigation. The Oak Canyon Fire was more than 4,000 acres, as of Monday evening, and moving towards Maupin. 

Four others are blamed on lightning. Near Mitchell, the Shoe Fly Fire is the largest new incident. It's estimated at about 8,000 acres, as of Tuesday morning. An Oregon Department of Forestry incident management team takes command of the Shoe Fly Fire at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

The 7,700-acre Rail Ridge Fire is burning in Grant County. It jumped the south fork of the John Day River in several locations and pushed into the Murderers Creek drainage Monday. 

In Crook County, the Wiley Flat Fire (pictured above) is burning near Maury Mountain, prompting evacuations of campgrounds and other areas near the community of Post. In Wheeler County, the small Cottonwood Fire held at less than 20 acres.