Inside: Flashback 1996: Getting in tune with physics »
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 14, 2021
Redmond, Oregon • $1
Kristy Merck (right) records sound waves from a French horn
played by Kara Blair as physics instructor Ron Caramella
monitors the computer screen readout. Spokesman file
redmondspokesman.com
A special good morning to subscriber Dennis Lisius
@RedmondSpox
Low-cost Burbank flights take off starting May 13
For the introductory price
of $19, you can bypass LAX
An Avelo
aircraft at
Hollywood
Burbank
Airport on
April 7 in
California.
Avelo is
the first
new major
U.S. airline
in more
than a
decade.
BY JACKSON HOGAN
The Bulletin
For $19, you could buy two six-
packs of craft brew in Bend. Once
Central Oregon theaters reopen, that
would also get you in to see a movie
and get a small popcorn, too. But
starting May 13, $19 will get you all
the way to Burbank, California.
Avelo Airlines — the first new ma-
jor U.S. airline in about 15 years —
introduced itself to the public Thurs-
Joe Scarnici/
Getty Images
for Avelo
day with 11 new routes, including
one from Redmond Airport to Hol-
lywood Burbank Airport. Avelo says
the ticket price is part of a temporary,
introductory offer.
Local tourism and business lead-
ers see this new option as a win for
Central Oregon.
“There’s just more options, which
both visitors and locals appreciate,”
said Julia Theisen, president and
CEO of Sunriver-based tourism non-
profit Central Oregon Visitors Asso-
ciation. “It’s both convenient, and ex-
panding the (Los Angeles) market for
us, which is already strong.”
Avelo flights from Redmond to
Burbank will fly on Tuesdays, Thurs-
days and Saturdays, according to
Zachary Bass, director of Redmond
Airport.
Although Redmond Airport al-
ready offers frequent flights to Los
Angeles, this will be Redmond’s first
route to an airport in the region that
isn’t the infamously crowded and
chaotic Los Angeles International
Airport, commonly dubbed LAX.
Not only is Hollywood Burbank
less of a mess than LAX, but it is also
much closer to certain Los Angeles
tourist hotspots, like Hollywood and
Universal Studios.
See Burbank / P4
SCHOOLS
AN ‘EXCITED’ MAJORITY
Union leaders say Redmond, Bend teachers more comfortable returning to class post-vaccine
80%
BY JACKSON HOGAN
The Bulletin
T
wo months ago, Central
Oregon teachers began
receiving COVID-19
vaccinations ahead of
much of the general pop-
ulation. By now, just about every
teacher in Deschutes County who
wanted to be vaccinated has been.
Because of this and other
COVID-19 mitigation strategies in
schools, the teachers’ union leader
for Bend-La Pine Schools said most
of her union’s members feel less
nervous about returning full-time
to in-person classes this month.
“Everyone having access to the
vaccine if they want to be vacci-
nated, it ensures the educators’
safety,” said Sarah Barclay, presi-
dent of the Bend Education As-
sociation. “There are a few people
who still have concerns about the
return to in-person, but the major-
ity are excited.”
It’s a similar story in the Red-
mond School District, where Barry
Branaugh — a board member of
the Redmond Education Associa-
tion — said he hasn’t heard many
teachers express concerns about
COVID-19 safety recently.
“It’s not much of a factor any-
more,” he said.
Both Barclay and Branaugh said
that local teachers are itching to
see their students full-time again
after a couple months of part-on-
line school.
“The majority of our teachers are
really excited to be back with stu-
dents,” Barclay said. “That’s where
they do their best work, that’s where
students learn the most.”
The unusual hybrid schedule
Percentage of K-12
teachers who are
vaccinated in the U.S.,
according to a recent
nationwide survey by the
American Federation of
Teachers.
11%
Percentage of staff who
said their school districts
went too far in returning
to in-person classes,
according to the survey.
4/19
The date when all grades
go back to full-time
in-person classes in
Redmond.
Carrie Price sets up her socially
distanced classroom at Juniper
Elementary School as Bend-La Pine
Schools prepared for in-person lessons
on April 1. Bend students returned to
classrooms full time this week.
Dean Guernsey/The Bulletin
for Redmond and Ridgeview high
schools — two half-days, four days
a week — has particularly been a
pain for teachers at those schools,
said Branaugh, who teaches social
studies at Ridgeview High.
“The consistency of a schedule
that they’re used to, where they’re
here four days a week full-time, I
think will be good,” he said.
In Bend-La Pine, all grades re-
turned to a full-time in-person
school schedule on Monday. Red-
mond schools will do the same on
April 19.
Although teachers appreciate
Bend-La Pine actually enforcing
COVID-19 mitigation rules like
mask wearing and social distanc-
ing, they don’t appreciate having to
be the ones to make sure students
follow those rules, Barclay said. It’s
also nearly impossible, particularly
at the larger high schools, to en-
force distancing rules in cramped
hallways, she said.
“When you talk about a high
school with 1,500 to 2,000 stu-
dents, and 75 teachers, there’s
not enough people to make sure
(rules) are being followed all the
time,” Barclay said. “Educators are
spending their whole time being
the enforcement police, rather
than being able to have time with
students between classes, or have
a break or go to the bathroom.”
Dave McKae, a math teacher
at Cascade Middle School, said
Bend-La Pine Schools’ trans-
parency on COVID-19 cases in
schools — and the small number
of cases since schools reopened —
has reassured him about teaching
in-person.
See Schools / P4
The Spokesman uses
recycled newsprint
Events in and around Redmond
The Redmond Spokesman welcomes event information for
its community calendar. Submissions are limited to nonprofit,
free and live entertainment events. Deadline is 5 p.m. Thursday
for the following Wednesday’s paper. Items are published on a
space-available basis and may be edited. Contact us at
news@redmondspokesman.com or fax 541-548-3203.
WEDNESDAY 4/14
Redmond community; 4:30-6 p.m.; $5 to $20; Initiative Brewing, 424
NW Fifth St., Redmond; eventbrite.com
Environmental Pet Allergies — A Deep Dive Discussion: Join
Dermatologist Dr. Jennifer Bentley to learn more about your pet’s
environmental allergies and how they contribute to the syndrome of
Atopic Dermatitis; 4-4:15 p.m.; online; go.evvnt.com/765778-0 or 541-
210-9200.
Redmond School Board Special Meeting: The board will discuss
architect fee proposals, potential issuance of pension obligation
funds, Jaqua complex and more; 5:30-7:50 p.m.; online; go.evvnt.
com/765746-0 or 541-923-8250.
Volunteer Central Oregon Board Fair: Forty Central Oregon nonprofit
organizations will be offering opportunities for community members
check out how to serve on their boards of directors and leadership
committees; 4-6 p.m.; Central Oregon, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson
Counties; go.evvnt.com/756423-0 or 541-280-5757.
REDI News & Brews: REDI News & Brews is an annual networking and
investor outreach event that showcases the work REDI does for the
Country Dance Lesson/Line Dance: Award-winning dancer and
choreographer Jordan Hunt will be teaching country dances in the
outdoor space, dress warmly, no outside food or beverages allowed;
6-7 p.m.; registration required; General Duffy’s Waterhole, 404 SW Forest
Ave., Redmond; go.evvnt.com/765713-1 or 541-527-4345.
Classics Book Club: Discussing “House Made of Dawn” by N. Scott
Momaday; 6-7 p.m.; online; go.evvnt.com/753628-0 or 541-306-6564.
See Calendar / P4
INDEX
Puzzles ............. 2 Obituaries ....... 5
Police log ........ 2 Classifieds ....... 6
Volume 111, No. 33
USPS 778-040
U|xaIICGHy02326kzU