WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2021 Redmond, Oregon • $1 « Inside Feed your garden, not this deer redmondspokesman.com A special good morning to subscriber Lindsay Ringer @RedmondSpox McDonald’s owners mark 30 years BY GERRY O’BRIEN The Spokesman REDMOND — Thirty years can go quickly if one is deeply involved in their business and their community. For Kathy and Paul Rodby, it’s been lightning quick. The Rodbys are the owners/operators of five McDonald’s restaurants in Central Oregon: Two in Redmond; one in Madras; one in Prineville; and one in Hines, just south of Burns. The main Redmond restaurant is undergoing a $1 million renovation with improvements to its lobby, dining area, restrooms and now sports a dual drive-in setup. It was originally built in 1985. The Rodbys, who met in college while in Phoenix, Ariz., aren’t stepping away from the operations, merely giving the upcoming em- ployees more experience at running the busi- ness. “Thirty years have gone by fast,” said Paul Rodby, 68. “We’ve put together such an incred- ible team. Some people have been with me the entire time and a few have been here for 15 to 20 years, through all the highs and the lows.” The couple purchased the Redmond oper- ation on June 16, 1991. At the same time, the restaurant in Madras was under construction. Having the Madras store at the Y intersection of state Highway 97 and 26, has really been a benefit, because families stop there the heading north to Portland or heading south to Bend. “It’s been a really good location for us,” Rodby said. “Plus, we made sure that all of our re- strooms stayed open during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though our dining rooms were not, and people appreciated that.” See McDonald’s / P5 Submitted photo New siding, a roof and interior will bring the Red- mond McDonald’s up to standards for the compa- ny’s image. Business is so good for a Redmond manufacturer that repurposes medical devices that it is doubling its size while it keeps thousands of pounds of waste from going to the landfill and saving money for health care companies. Ryan Brennecke/The Bulletin Ridgeview High School students Faye Davis, from right, Lucy Stancliff and Kenzie Curtis load up several bags of donated food into the back of their car before heading out to make deliver- ies together on Thursday. Redmond high schoolers fuel food drive Ready for a R E N EWAL BY SUZANNE ROIG • The Bulletin Construction is underway on an expansion that will double the size of Medline in Redmond. BY KYLE SPURR The Bulletin REDMOND — Kenzie Curtis, a senior at Ridgeview High School, met two classmates in the school parking lot Thursday and they filled her Nissan Xterra with large grocery bags full of donated food. The three students then delivered the bags of mostly nonperishable snacks to elemen- tary school students, who will need the food over the week- end. “It’s food that The number kids can eat on the of families Redmond and weekends when Ridgeview high they don’t have ac- schoolers can cess to the lunches at help, delivering school,” Curtis said. at least two “It’s food they can dozen bags of make on their own.” food each week. Students in lead- ership classes at Ridgeview and Redmond high schools have shopped for the food and delivered it every week since March, when students returned to in-person learning. The two high schools help up to 20 fam- ilies with elementary school students and deliver at least two dozen bags of food each week. The food drive program is funded and supported by the Family Access Network, a nonprofit organization that supports chil- dren’s wellbeing in Central Oregon, and Jer- icho Road, a group that runs a food pantry in Redmond. Each week, the students use gift cards from the Family Access Network to buy food at the Dollar Tree, Grocery Outlet and Fred Meyer. The students usually buy items such as peanut butter, crackers, soups, bread and bananas for the elementary school chil- dren. Dean Guernsey/Bulletin photos TOP: One of the surgical instruments that Medline remakes are trocars, which are used during surgery. BOTTOM: Beverly Wilson assembles a tissue-sealing dissector at Medline. 20 D espite the pandemic and the cancellation of elective surgeries over the past year as a way for hospitals to keep their beds available for COVID-19 patients, business has been strong for the privately held company, Medline ReNewal. Construction is underway now to double its manufac- turing footprint. Last year, the company re- cycle d about 5.2 million de- vices from a list of more than 4,300 different items, cleans them, sorts them and steril- izes them to be repackaged for reuse. It’s a labor-inten- sive business that is on the upswing, said Frank Cza- jka, president of Medline ReNewal division. The As- sociation of Medical Device Reprocessors said that it’s a $500 million industry with the potential to grow. See Medline / P6 See Food drive / P5 The Spokesman uses recycled newsprint WEDNESDAY 5/5 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. Hollywood Road Hike: Enjoy local color, history and geocaching on this leisurely paced hike with great views of the Crooked River Canyon; 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; registration required; Ranch Chapel Parking Lot, 5060 SW Clubhouse Road, Terrebonne; eventbrite.com Teen Yoga Series: We will explore yoga, breathing techniques, sound healing, meditation, journaling, and building routines that will encourage a peaceful and happy life.; 3:30-4:30 p.m.; Namaspa Yoga & Massage, online; go.evvnt.com/766829-0 This Too Shall Pass — Lessons in Resiliency: Hear powerful lessons learned from older adults about resiliency and peace during unsettling times; 4-5 p.m.; registration required; online;go.evvnt.com/769136-1 or 541-312-1029. Redmond Budget Committee Meeting and Urban Renewal Agency Meeting: The committees will discuss the budget for the 2021-22 fiscal year specifically for the Redmond Downtown and south U.S. Highway 97 urban renewal areas; 6-7 p.m.; online; go.evvnt. com/776921-0 or 541-923-7710. Current Fiction Book Club: Discussing “The Thirty Names of Night” by Zeyn Joukhadar; 6-7 p.m.; online; go.evvnt.com/769978-0 or 541-306-6564. INDEX Puzzles ............. 2 Obituaries ....... 6 Police log ........ 2 Classifieds ....... 7 Volume 111, No. 36 USPS 778-040 THURSDAY 5/6 In Conversation — Poets Elizabeth Acevedo and Mahogany Browne: Join Elizabeth Acevedo and Mahogany Browne for an afternoon of poetry and purpose; 4-5:30 p.m.; registration required; online; go.evvnt.com/776939-1 or 541-312-1032. See Calendar / P4 U|xaIICGHy02326kzU