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?

 🚗 City of Bend Considers Future Vehicle Bridge Over Deschutes River

 🎄 Festival of Trees Gala Returns December 6 — A Night of Holiday Magic for a Cause

 🛒 Farewell Market Opening Delayed to Dec. 13 in Southwest Bend

🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

🚨 30-Year Sentence for Man Convicted in Plot to Attack Smith Rock Climbing Event

💰 Former DAWNS House Director Pleads Guilty to $300K Theft

🥰Community News

🗺️ Drawn West: High Desert Museum’s New Exhibit Explores a Century of Selling the West

📰Regional News

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🐾🐶😺Pet of the Week

🐾 Meet Moose — The Gentle Giant of BrightSide Animal Center (Redmond, OR)

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

🧠 Test your Central Oregon knowledge!

GOOD MORNING

 BEND

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

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Local News…

 🚗 City of Bend Considers Future Vehicle Bridge Over Deschutes River

BEND, OR — The City of Bend is exploring whether a new vehicle bridge could one day span the Deschutes River in the city's southwest. While there’s no design or exact location yet, the idea is to relieve traffic pressure on Reed Market Road, currently the southernmost bridge crossing. The study area lies between Powers Road and Murphy Road, with a potential connection to Century Drive. City officials emphasize this is only an early feasibility study, separate from Bend Park and Recreation District’s pedestrian bridge project.

If deemed feasible, the proposed bridge could accommodate vehicles, bikes, and pedestrians—offering a new connection for South Bend and helping alleviate congestion. But the idea is drawing mixed reactions from neighbors, especially those who enjoy the peace and greenery of the Central Oregon Historic Canal Trail. “I think it’s a great idea to not have the road,” said nearby resident Candy Richardson. City Engineering Director Ryan Oster notes that funding for the study may not become available until mid-2026 or 2027, with results still years away. Visit Central Oregon Daily News for full story

🎄 Festival of Trees Gala Returns December 6 — A Night of Holiday Magic for a Cause

REDMOND, OR — Hospice of Redmond is bringing back one of Central Oregon’s most cherished holiday traditions: the 42nd annual Festival of Trees Gala and Live Auction on Saturday, December 6 at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Voted 2024’s Best Nonprofit Event by Source Weekly, this semi-formal evening kicks off at 5:00 p.m. and promises gourmet dining, live music, and the chance to bid on 31 dazzlingly decorated holiday trees and luxury gift packages — all in support of compassionate end-of-life care. The night will also feature an exclusive announcement about Hospice of Redmond’s future services across the region.

For those looking to soak up the festive spirit earlier in the day, a free community tree-viewing event runs from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., complete with cookies, Santa visits, and a chance to vote for the People’s Choice Award. Gala tickets are on sale now at secure.qgiv.com/event/festivaloftrees25

 🛒 Farewell Market Opening Delayed to Dec. 13 in Southwest Bend

BEND, OR — Shoppers eager to visit the new natural grocery store coming to Brookswood Plaza will have to wait just a bit longer. Farewell Market, which is taking over the former C.E. Lovejoy’s location on Brookswood Boulevard, has announced a revised opening date of December 13. The team says the short delay will help ensure the store is fully aligned with its values and ready to deliver a top-notch experience.

The new market aims to offer clean, additive-free foods with a mission rooted in sustainability and food transparency. “We’re not waiting for decades of research to tell us what many already know — chemical additives can be harmful,” states the Farewell Market website. Instead, the store says it’s guided by innovators, regenerative farmers, and traditional knowledge keepers. C.E. Lovejoy’s served the community for 15 years before closing in February.

Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

🚨 30-Year Sentence for Man Convicted in Plot to Attack Smith Rock Climbing Event

BEND, OR — On November 10, 2025, Deschutes County Judge Alison Emerson sentenced 41‑year‑old Portland resident Samson Garner to 30 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on all 26 felony counts related to an attempted mass shooting plot at a climbing event at Smith Rock State Park in October 2023. Prosecutors say Garner traveled from the Portland area to Deschutes County the day before the event and was taken into custody by law enforcement while in possession of multiple firearms, body armor, a tactical vest loaded with ammunition (including armor‑piercing rounds) and a large cache of additional rounds. The case produced testimony from dozens of witnesses and more than 100 trial exhibits.

Local and Portland investigators credited interagency cooperation and a community tip with preventing what officials say would have been a catastrophic attack. Sheriff Ty Rupert praised the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Detectives Unit, patrol deputies and partner agencies for building the case, and Portland Police Chief Bob Day highlighted PPB’s threat assessment and behavioral health teams for helping stop the plot. Senior Deputy District Attorneys Mary Anderson and Stacy Neil prosecuted the case for the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office.

💰 Former DAWNS House Director Pleads Guilty to $300K Theft

BEND, OR — Dawn Marie Holland, founder and former executive director of DAWNS House, a sober living nonprofit in Bend, has pleaded guilty to five counts of aggravated first-degree theft after being accused of embezzling more than $300,000 from the organization between 2019 and 2023. Court records show Holland, 53, changed her plea last week as part of a deal that includes a recommended sentence of 3½ years in prison, followed by three years of post-prison supervision. She must also pay over $418,000 in restitution, including $100,000 before sentencing.

Holland was originally indicted on eight counts in 2024 and faced up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each. As part of her plea agreement, she will also be barred from any contact with DAWNS House or its board members during her supervision period. Sentencing is scheduled for November 17. Her jury trial had previously been set for March 2026.

 Community News…

🗺️ Drawn West: High Desert Museum’s New Exhibit Explores a Century of Selling the West

Opening Saturday, November 15, the High Desert Museum invites visitors to journey through a century of mythmaking in its new exhibition Drawn West: A History of Promoting Place. The exhibit showcases over 50 vivid maps, artworks, and vintage advertisements that once enticed settlers to head West—blending fact, fiction, and frontier dreams. Visitors will find original pieces by renowned artists like Frederic Remington, Charles M. Russell, Edward Borein, and Edward B. Quigley, plus artifacts like a 1907 homestead deed, early ski resort ads, and a rare 1845 emigrant guide. The exhibit is divided into five themed sections: Westward Expansion, Railroads, Roads, Recreation, and Reclamation, all revealing how art and advertising shaped the region's identity.

From romanticized landscapes to bronzes forged from firsthand ranching experience, Drawn West examines how artists and cartographers helped craft the enduring narrative of the American West—often at the expense of Indigenous communities. Among the standouts is Russell’s Caught in the Act, an 1888 Harper’s Weekly article highlighting the injustices of reservation life. This compelling look at the intersection of art, history, and marketing runs through June 28, 2026. More details at highdesertmuseum.org/drawn-west.

Regional News…

City of Bend Events

Road Construction

🐾 Meet Moose — The Gentle Giant of BrightSide Animal Center (Redmond, OR)

At six years young, Moose has mastered the fine art of taking life at a comfortable pace. This handsome German Shepherd mix isn’t chasing squirrels or sprinting after tennis balls anymore—he’s chasing heartbeats and sunshine.

Moose’s favorite activities include leisurely strolls, leaning in for soft ear scratches, and resting his big head on your lap as if to say, “You’re my person now.” His BrightSide pals describe him as a “cuddle connoisseur” with a heart as loyal as it is large.

While he still enjoys canine company, Moose prefers calm, easygoing dog friends—no rowdy puppy parties, please! His joints may be a bit stiff, but he’s on supplements and has plenty of gentle energy for life’s quieter adventures.

If you know and love the steadfast, soulful spirit of shepherds, Moose might just be your dream companion. He’s neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and ready for a home that values snuggles over sprints.

💲 Adoption Fee: $100
📍 Where: BrightSide Animal Center, Redmond, OR
💚 Learn More or Apply: brightsideanimals.org/adopt

Would you like me to make a short version of this for your newsletter’s “Pet of the Week” section too (with emojis and a punchier tone)?

Roast of the Week: Redmond, Oregon
💥 Bend's little sibling that swears it's not copying your haircut...

Ah, Redmond. The high desert town with big dreams, bigger trucks, and a wind advisory that never ends. You’ve got that “small-town charm meets unexpected growth spurt” vibe — like if a rodeo queen got recruited by HGTV.

Downtown Redmond’s been busy polishing itself up with boutique shops, tap houses, and public art — and honestly, it’s looking good. But you’re still the only place where you can go from sipping a $14 craft cocktail to buying livestock feed in the same zip code. Respect.

And let’s talk about the traffic on 6th Street — where green lights mean nothing if you're stuck behind a pickup towing a trailer full of goats. And yes, your airport is adorable. It’s the only place where TSA calls you by name and your suitcase gets more legroom than you do.

Housing? Redmond’s growing faster than a teenager on protein powder, and every new housing development has a name like “Whispering Sage Estates” — even though we all know it used to be just tumbleweeds and cows.

But we tease because we love. Redmond’s got grit, heart, and the kind of people who wave at strangers, fix their own fences, and will absolutely help you push your Subaru out of the snowbank — even if they drive a diesel.

So here’s to you, Redmond — the windblown, work-boot-wearing, up-and-coming middle child of Central Oregon. You’re doing great. Just maybe… fix a few potholes?

 😎Just sayin

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