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In this issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

 🎤Bend’s American Idol hopeful Bella Emry reflects on audition, watch party set for second performance 🎦CODN

  🗳️ Bend Lawmaker Steps Down from Committee Amid Vote Dispute

 💈 Bend Barbers Rebuild After Explosion Halts Business

⛽ Oregon Gas Prices Spike at the Pump

🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

  🚨 Bend Teen Arrested After Alleged TikTok Bathroom Vandalism Spree

🚔 Juvenile Who Left Secure Bend Facility Arrested at Redmond Applebee’s

 🔪 Prineville Man Arrested After Stabbing on NE Carson Street

🥰Community News

📰Regional News

🗳️ Oregon’s IP28 “PEACE Act” Ballot Proposal Sparks Big Debate

🗳️ Oregon Senate Advances Bill to Move Gas Tax Vote to May Primary

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

👀See Expanded Answer in Friday’s Newsletter👉

GOOD MORNING

 BEND

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

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Local News…

🗳️ Bend Lawmaker Steps Down from Committee Amid Vote Dispute

Representative Jason Kropf of Bend has resigned as co-chair of the Oregon House Committee on Conduct after controversy over his actions following a contentious firearms bill vote. Lawmakers raised concerns that during a February committee session, Kropf’s interaction with a colleague may have influenced her vote on the proposal, prompting a formal complaint and sparking debate over legislative conduct.

House Republicans paused floor work Monday, saying Democratic leaders didn’t fully investigate the complaint before moving forward with committee changes, and called for a transparent review by the Legislative Equity Office. Democrats, meanwhile, criticized the walkout and emphasized ongoing work on other bills. Kropf said he stepped aside because his presence had become a distraction and affirmed his confidence in the committee’s future.

 💈 Bend Barbers Rebuild After Explosion Halts Business

Six months after a powerful explosion damaged Electric Light Barbershop in northeast Bend and forced the shop to close its doors, the former team of barbers is beginning to rebuild. The blast last August badly damaged the business and knocked out about half of their regular clientele, Barber crew members say, but they’ve now started fresh at Mint Salon, reconnecting with customers and picking up where they left off.

The shop’s owners told local media the past months have been tough, but the community support has helped as they recover and reestablish their services. Many of the original barbers have returned to cutting hair and serving clients at the new space, turning the page after the unexpected disruption.

⛽ Oregon Gas Prices Spike at the Pump

Oregon drivers are seeing sharper climbs at the gas pump compared with much of the country, as statewide prices have jumped again this week amid supply disruptions and refinery issues in the Northwest. According to recent fuel price data, the average price in Oregon jumped nearly 18 ¢ over the past week to about $3.78 a gallon, a roughly 47 ¢ increase over the past month — far outpacing the national average, which has crept up only modestly. Higher crude prices, refinery outages and tight regional supply are being cited as key drivers of the increases.

At the station level, prices can vary widely across communities, and analysts say geopolitical tensions and local supply constraints — such as disruptions on the Olympic Pipeline that serves the Pacific Northwest — are adding pressure at the pump. While the national average remains lower, Oregon’s fuel costs continue to climb and remain notably higher than many other states.

Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

 🚨 Bend Teen Arrested After Alleged TikTok Bathroom Vandalism Spree

A 15-year-old Bend resident has been arrested following an investigation into a string of TikTok videos that appeared to show someone urinating in public spaces across the city. Bend Police say they received multiple reports on Feb. 4 regarding videos filmed in locations including high school and restaurant bathroom floors, a diaper-changing station, and park restrooms.

After reviewing the footage and conducting an investigation, officers identified the suspect as a local juvenile. On Saturday, Feb. 21, police went to the teen’s home and arrested him on suspicion of 24 counts of second-degree criminal mischief and one count of second-degree disorderly conduct. He was also cited for urinating in public. As with all juvenile cases, no name has been released.

🚔 Juvenile Who Left Secure Bend Facility Arrested at Redmond Applebee’s

A 15-year-old male who left a secure J Bar J Youth Services facility in north Bend without authorization Sunday night has been located and taken back into custody. According to authorities, the teen was arrested without incident Monday at 12:44 p.m. after Redmond Police responded to a call at Applebee’s in Redmond. He had reportedly left the Britta Street facility around 10:45 p.m. Sunday.

The juvenile was housed in a secure Behavior Rehabilitation Services program and was not permitted to leave. Officials say he is on parole for aggravated assault with a weapon. After he failed to initiate the required 72-hour release plan with his parole officer, a warrant was issued for absconding. Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office immediately began searching the area and sent out a neighborhood alert in north Bend. As required by Oregon law, the juvenile’s name has not been released.

 🔪 Prineville Man Arrested After Stabbing on NE Carson Street

An 18-year-old Prineville man is in custody following a stabbing Sunday evening in the area of NE Carson Street. According to a Feb. 23 update from Prineville Police, officers responded around 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 22 to a reported domestic dispute and found an adult victim suffering from multiple stab wounds. The victim was given immediate medical aid and transported for treatment and is reported to be in stable condition.

Police say the situation was quickly contained, and all parties were accounted for at the scene. Around 9:05 p.m., detectives arrested Joseph Connor Dolan, 18, of Prineville. He was lodged at the Crook County Jail on charges of Assault I and Unlawful Use of a Weapon. The investigation remains active, and additional details have not been released.

Community News…

 Regional News…

🗳️ Oregon’s IP28 “PEACE Act” Ballot Proposal Sparks Big Debate

A proposed ballot measure in Oregon — Initiative Petition 28 (IP28), also called the “PEACE Act” — is gaining traction and could qualify for the November 2026 ballot. If passed, the initiative would remove long-standing exemptions in Oregon’s animal cruelty laws, potentially making many activities that injure or kill animals — including hunting, fishing, trapping, ranching, livestock farming, and even routine pest control — criminal offenses with limited exceptions for self-defense and veterinary care. Supporters describe the measure as a bold step to strengthen protections for animals across the state.

However, the proposal is drawing strong opposition from many hunters, ranchers, agricultural groups and lawmakers, including Oregon Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus leaders who argue IP28 would have sweeping impacts on Oregon’s economy, wildlife management and traditional ways of life. Critics say if legal hunting and fishing were outlawed, funding for fish and wildlife conservation could dry up, local food production could be disrupted, and longstanding cultural practices could be criminalized. Backers are working to gather enough valid signatures by the July deadline for the measure to appear on the ballot; if it qualifies, voters will decide its fate this November.

🗳️ Oregon Senate Advances Bill to Move Gas Tax Vote to May Primary

A controversial proposal to shift Oregon’s transportation tax referendum from the November general election to the May 19 primary is now one step closer to happening. On Feb. 23, Senate Democrats advanced Senate Bill 1599 on a 17–13 vote, with nearly unanimous support from their caucus. The bill would move the public vote on gas, payroll and vehicle fee increases up by nearly six months and assigns lawmakers — not standard ballot writers — to draft the explanatory and financial statements for the voter pamphlet. The House now faces a tight deadline to pass the bill and get it to Gov. Tina Kotek by Feb. 25 in order to qualify for the May ballot.

The move comes after hundreds of thousands of Oregonians signed a petition to refer the transportation cost hikes to voters — with signature sheets listing a November election date, the standard timing for referendums. Lawmakers, however, can change that date with a simple majority vote. The bill’s path through the Senate was anything but smooth, delayed by Republican walkouts, procedural maneuvers and apparent vote-count uncertainty among Democrats before final passage Monday.

Republicans strongly opposed the change, arguing it limits public engagement and appears politically motivated. More than 4,600 pieces of written testimony were submitted, with fewer than 75 supporting the move to May. Critics say a primary election could mean lower voter turnout and accuse Democrats of trying to avoid placing an unpopular tax measure on the November ballot. Democrats counter that an earlier vote provides certainty for Oregon’s financially strained transportation system and note that all voters receive ballots by mail, regardless of election timing. The bill now heads to the House, where Democrats are expected to fast-track it.

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