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In this issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

 🧠 B.R.A.I.N.S. Technique Foundations Course

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

  🐾 Redmond Installs Free Public Microchip Scanner to Help Reunite Lost Pets

  📞 Sunriver Police Warn Residents About Impersonation Scam

📹 Hundreds of Bend Residents Join Police Camera Registry Program

 🏢 Prineville Leaders Share Local Data Center Experience with State Advisory Committee

❄️ Central Oregon Snowpack Near Record Lows, Raising Drought Concerns

🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

 🦌 OSP Investigating Illegal Elk Kill Near Prineville

🥰Community News

  ⚓ Veterans Christen ‘S.S. Redside’ Model Submarine at Bend Ceremony

📰Regional News

  🚨 Massive Drug Bust in Washington Nets 360+ Pounds of Fentanyl and Meth

🏔️ Oregon Lawmakers Pass Bill to Protect Outdoor Recreation Businesses

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

 🚧🌃 Overnight construction begins March 8 on U.S. 20 in east Bend

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

GOOD MORNING

 BEND

Check Trip Check Before you travel over the Passes ⬇

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

FEATURED EVENT

Register Now:

🧠 B.R.A.I.N.S. Technique Foundations Course

Where: Epic Energy Center – Energy Room, Bend
When: Fridays — May 1, May 8, and May 15 | 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Looking for a powerful way to reset your mind and body heading into summer? The B.R.A.I.N.S. Technique Foundations Course is a three-part immersive series designed to help participants quickly interrupt stress, regulate emotional responses, and restore calm and clarity.

Held inside the Energy Room at Epic Energy Center, this concentrated course teaches simple somatic tools that can help rewire the brain’s response to stress, trauma, and emotional overwhelm — often in just 5–7 minutes. These practical techniques are designed to be used anywhere, helping you rebalance your nervous system in the moment and build resilience long after the class ends.

Your registration includes all three sessions, live Q&A opportunities, and a total of six hours inside the Energy Room, creating a focused and supportive environment to learn and practice the method.

Whether you’re looking to reduce stress, improve emotional balance, or boost overall well-being, this course offers tools you can carry with you every day.

More Info / Registration:
https://bend.epicenergycenters.com/events

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Local News…

 🐾 Redmond Installs Free Public Microchip Scanner to Help Reunite Lost Pets

Lost pets in Redmond now have a better chance of finding their way home. On March 5, the Redmond Police Department partnered with FIXBend to install a public lost-pet microchip reader outside the department’s east fence at 111 NW Teak Ave. The scanner is free for anyone to use and allows community members who find a lost dog or cat to check for a microchip and identify the owner. The device is part of the Rawley Project, an initiative focused on providing affordable services to people in need throughout the community.

FIXBend operates low-cost spay, neuter, vaccination, and microchipping clinics in Central Oregon, with volunteer-run events held monthly in Bend. Redmond Police say the partnership helps make it easier for residents to reunite lost pets with their families. If you find a lost pet, you can scan it at the Redmond Police Department, bring the animal to BrightSide Animal Shelter, or call non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 for assistance.

 📞 Sunriver Police Warn Residents About Impersonation Scam

The Sunriver Police Department is alerting residents to a scam involving someone posing as the department’s police chief in an attempt to gather sensitive information. Authorities say several people have reported receiving phone calls, emails, or messages from an individual claiming to be the chief and asking for personal details such as Social Security numbers, banking information, or passwords.

Police emphasize that these messages are fraudulent and remind the public that law enforcement officers will never contact residents asking for personal or financial information. Anyone who receives a suspicious message or call claiming to be from Sunriver Police is encouraged to ignore it and report the incident to local authorities.

📹 Hundreds of Bend Residents Join Police Camera Registry Program

Nearly 650 Bend residents and businesses have signed up for the Bend Police Department’s Connect Bend camera registry, a voluntary program that helps officers quickly locate potential video evidence when crimes occur nearby. The registry creates a map showing where privately owned security cameras are located so investigators can contact owners and request footage if needed.

Police emphasize that registering a camera does not give officers direct or live access to video feeds. Instead, it simply allows them to reach out to camera owners when incidents occur in their area. Officials say the program is designed to reduce the time officers spend going door-to-door asking for footage and to strengthen cooperation between the community and law enforcement.

 🏢 Prineville Leaders Share Local Data Center Experience with State Advisory Committee

Leaders from Prineville recently addressed Oregon’s new Data Center Advisory Committee, offering insight from one of the state’s most prominent data center communities. Mayor Jason Beebe, Councilor Steve Uffelman, and City Manager Steve Forrester spoke with the group about the city’s experience hosting major facilities operated by companies like Apple and Facebook, which were originally attracted through enterprise zone tax incentives. Those incentives are set to expire in the coming years, potentially bringing a significant boost in tax revenue to the community.

The state committee, created by Governor Tina Kotek, is tasked with studying the rapid growth of data centers and recommending policies by October 2026. Officials are expected to look closely at issues such as energy demand, water use, and where new facilities should be located. Prineville leaders emphasized the economic benefits the industry has brought to the region, noting the city once struggled with high unemployment before the arrival of large tech facilities helped diversify the local economy.

❄️ Central Oregon Snowpack Near Record Lows, Raising Drought Concerns

Snowpack levels across Central Oregon are hovering near historic lows, raising concerns about water supplies heading into the warmer months. Measurements in parts of the Central Cascades show snowpack levels at roughly 26% to 38% of average, with some monitoring sites reporting the lowest readings in decades. Hydrologists say warmer winter temperatures have caused much of this season’s precipitation to fall as rain rather than snow, preventing the mountain snowpack from building as it normally would.

Snowpack acts as a natural reservoir for the region, slowly releasing water into rivers and irrigation systems through spring and summer. With levels so low this winter, experts warn the region could face reduced river flows, irrigation challenges for farmers, and increased drought concerns later this year if conditions don’t improve. Forecasters say significant late-season snowfall would be needed to meaningfully boost the snowpack before the typical peak around April.

Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

 🦌 OSP Investigating Illegal Elk Kill Near Prineville

The Oregon State Police Fish and Wildlife Division is asking for the public’s help after two young bull elk were found illegally killed and dumped east of Prineville. Troopers responded on March 3 to a report of elk remains discarded on U.S. Forest Service land along Mill Creek Road, where they discovered the heads and legs of two bulls that had been left off the roadside. Authorities say both animals had their antlers removed.

Investigators are now seeking information that could help identify whoever is responsible for the unlawful take. Anyone with tips is asked to contact Oregon State Police Dispatch at 1-800-452-7888, dial OSP (677) from a mobile phone, or email [email protected]. Please reference case number SP26-072453.

Community News…

⚓ Veterans Christen ‘S.S. Redside’ Model Submarine at Bend Ceremony

Members of the Central Oregon Submarine Veterans gathered at Riverbend Park in Bend on Saturday to christen their newly completed model submarine, the S.S. Redside. The detailed Sturgeon-class (637) model, finished in October 2025, first appeared publicly during the Redmond Veterans Day Parade and now serves as a traveling parade float to help raise awareness for a planned Oregon Submarine Veterans Memorial.

Although the submarine isn’t designed for the water, the christening ceremony followed traditional Navy customs to mark the vessel’s completion. Organizers say the model will travel to parades and public events across the state to promote the memorial project, which began in 2023, while also honoring submarine service members and remembering those who lost their lives while serving.

 Regional News… 

 🚨 Massive Drug Bust in Washington Nets 360+ Pounds of Fentanyl and Meth

Federal authorities say a major drug trafficking investigation in Washington’s Tri-Cities area has led to the largest drug seizure ever recorded in the Eastern District of Washington. On March 3, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed multiple search warrants connected to an investigation into suspected trafficker Amador Sanchez, seizing more than 200 pounds of methamphetamine, over 164 pounds of powdered fentanyl, and more than 5 pounds of cocaine, along with roughly $2 million in cash and 16 firearms.

Investigators say Sanchez allegedly used several residences across the Tri-Cities to store and distribute drugs while on federal supervised release for a prior drug trafficking conviction. Officials described the seizure as a significant disruption to the fentanyl supply chain that could have devastated communities if the drugs had reached the streets. The investigation is ongoing, and federal indictments are expected to be presented to a grand jury.

🏔️ Oregon Lawmakers Pass Bill to Protect Outdoor Recreation Businesses

Oregon lawmakers have approved a long-debated bill aimed at helping protect the state’s outdoor recreation industry by restoring the legal power of liability waivers commonly used by ski resorts, gyms, rafting companies, and other recreation providers. The measure, Senate Bill 1517, is designed to address rising insurance costs and lawsuits that industry leaders say have threatened the viability of some outdoor activities in the state. (opb)

Supporters say the bill brings Oregon more in line with other Western states by allowing businesses to require participants to acknowledge the risks involved in activities like skiing, rafting, or climbing. However, the law still allows lawsuits in certain cases, including issues involving unsafe equipment, negligent training, or abuse. Lawmakers say the compromise aims to balance consumer protections with the financial stability of a multi-billion-dollar recreation industry that is central to Oregon’s economy. (opb)

City of Bend Events Here

Road Construction

Overnight construction begins March 8 on U.S. 20 in east Bend

We're upgrading curb ramps and pedestrian crossings along U.S. 20 from NE Arnett Way to NE Dalton Street so that they meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. These improvements help make it easier and safer for people walking or rolling to cross the street.

To help minimize daytime traffic impacts, most work will take place at night between 7p.m. and 7 a.m., Sunday through Friday. 

During construction you can expect: 

• Crews working in the area throughout the project duration 

• Overnight construction and noise  

• Sidewalk, shoulder, and lane closures 

• Flaggers directing traffic as needed 

• Minimal traffic delays 

• Nightly left-turn restrictions with signed detours at NE Azure Drive (7 p.m. to 7 a.m.) for up to eight weeks while crews work at this location.

Visit our website for more information or contact Meghan Blyth, community affairs coordinator.

 😎Just sayin

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