A4 THE BULLETIN • TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 LOCAL, STATE & REGION LOCAL BRIEFING Tow truck driver jailed for injuring pedestrian A Redmond tow truck driver received 30 days in jail and a five-year driver’s license suspen- sion for seriously injuring a pedestrian Bills and flee- ing the scene. Ryan Emery Bills, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree assault in Deschutes County Circuit Court. Around 8 p.m. Oct. 30, Bills was driving on NW Sixth Street in Redmond when he struck Nancy Newman crossing at the intersection with NW Jack- pine Street. Witnesses told police the driver of a white tow truck fled after the col- lision. Surveillance cameras from nearby businesses show Newman was legally crossing the street, accord- ing to Redmond Police. Bills was later arrested at the office of his then-em- ployer, Epic Towing in Red- mond. Bills was charged with second-degree assault for allegedly showing “ex- treme indifference” to New- man. He was also charged with hit-and-run and reck- less endangering. In addition to a month of jail, Judge Bethany Flint assigned him five years pro- bation and ordered him to complete a traffic safety course with the National Traffic Safety Institute, at- tend a victim impact panel and write a letter of apology to Newman. — Bulletin staff report Inmates say managers exposed them to virus JAYATI RAMAKRISHNAN The Oregonian As coronavirus outbreaks rage at several Oregon prisons, inmates at a minimum-secu- rity facility in Salem are push- ing for changes after they say administrators sent dozens of inmates who had just tested positive for COVID-19 back into the general population. Inmates at the Santiam Correctional Institution said they’re increasingly concerned about the way administrators are handling the pandemic and believe the Oregon Depart- ment of Corrections has know- ingly placed inmates in danger. According to six inmates at the Salem prison, ad- ministrators began sending COVID-positive inmates back into their dormitories Jan. 21 — a day after the prison of- fered mass testing that revealed an outbreak of about 50 cases. The inmates said some of those who tested positive were sent back to their dorms for more than 24 hours before be- ing transferred to a quarantine unit. Instead of cells, the men housed in the minimum-se- curity prison sleep in large rooms lined with bunk beds. There are four dorms, each with about 100 units. Inmates said they’ve repeat- edly tried to push for testing of those who feel sick, as well as better sanitation protocols throughout the prison. But they reported their calls often fall on deaf ears. Department of Corrections Spokeswoman Jennifer Black said that 50 Santiam inmates tested positive for COVID-19 on Jan. 20. The department’s chief medical officer requested tests for all Santiam inmates who wanted them, and the depart- ment began working on trans- portation plans for inmates who tested positive. Black said the inmates, who were all asymptomatic, were told to keep their masks on while they waited to be moved and were taken to the quar- antine unit at the nearby Or- egon State Penitentiary the next day. “If an adult in custody had been symptomatic, he would not have been held in gen- eral population and would have been transported to the COVID-19 Recovery Unit at Coffee Creek (Correctional Facility) as soon as possible,” Black said in an email. She said that while Santiam has offered mass testing only once so far, it offers tests to all inmates who request them. She said 114 Santiam in- mates have tested positive since the beginning of the pandemic and that 86 of them have recovered, including the 50 who tested positive on Jan. 20. Since the beginning of the pandemic, 42 inmates have died of coronavirus across all of Oregon’s prisons. Community college president steps down for health reasons Blue Moun- tain Com- munity College President Dennis Bai- ley-Fougnier, left, sits in on a 2019 college coordinat- ing council meeting in Pendleton. East Oregonian, file BY ANTONIO SIERRA East Oregonian PENDLETON — Near- ing his two-year anniversary as president, Dennis Bai- ley-Fougnier resigned from the top job at Blue Mountain Community College on Thurs- day. The college board formally accepted his resignation at a special meeting, where they also named John Fields, the college’s vice president of in- struction, as the school’s acting president. In a Friday press release, the college stated that Bai- ley-Fougnier was diagnosed with cancer late last year, and although he initially decided to work through his treatment, he was now turning his attention toward his health. ENTER TO WIN THE MOUNTAINFILM GIVEAWAY! Win two tickets to the MOUNTAINFILM ON TOUR plus a $50 Old Mill District gift card! You can enter online, by email, or by mailing the form below. “BMCC is a fantastic institu- tion with a strong future ahead. I regret that I will not be able to be a part of that future, but I have decided I need to focus on my health,” Bailey-Fougnier said in a statement. “I am grate- ful to everyone who contributes to the success of BMCC.” Bailey-Fougnier did not im- mediately return a call seeking comment. Jane Hill, the chair of the BMCC board, reiterated that Bailey-Fougnier resigned for health reasons but declined to comment on his performance, adding she couldn’t discuss the president or any other employ- ee’s performance because they were personnel issues. Hill said Bailey-Fougnier is still finalizing his resignation agreement with the school. BMCC will now search for a new president for the second time in three years. Marilyn Lynette March of La Pine, OR March 5, 1935 - February 9, 2021 Arrangements: Baird Memorial Chapel of La Pine is honored to serve the March family. Please visit our website, www.bairdfh.com, to share condolences and sign the online guestbook. Reverse Mortgages Life in reverse…financial longevity and peace of mind. Debbie Tallman Reverse Mortgage Advisor NMLS-248704 OBITUARY DEADLINE (541) 390-0934 Call to ask about our deadlines debbie.tallman@financeofamerica.com 541-385-5809 Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm ©2020 Finance of America Mortgage LLC is licensed nationwide | Equal Housing Opportunity | NMLS ID #1071 (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org) | 300 Welsh Road, Building 5, Horsham, PA 19044 |(800) 355-5626. For licensing information go to: www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org. This is not a commitment to lend. Prices, guidelines and minimum requirements are subject to change without notice. Some products may not be available in all states. Subject to review of credit and/or collateral; not all applicants will qualify for financing. It is important to make an informed decision whenselecting and using a loan product; make sure to compare loan types when making a financing decision. This document is provided by Finance of America Mortgage. Any materials were notprovided by HUD or FHA. It has not been approved by FHA or any Government Agency.When the loan is due and payable, some or all of the equity in the property that is the subject of the reversemortgage no longer belongs to borrowers, who may need to sell the home or otherwise repay the loan with interest from other proceeds. The lender may charge an origination fee, mortgageinsurance premium, closing costs and servicing fees (added to the balance of the loan). The balance of the loan grows over time and the lender charges interest on the balance. Borrowers areresponsible for paying property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, maintenance, and related taxes (which may be substantial). We do not establish an escrow account for disbursements of thesepayments. A set-aside account can be set up to pay taxes and insurance and may be required in some cases. Borrowers must occupy home as their primary residence and pay for ongoingmaintenance; otherwise the loan becomes due and payable. The loan also becomes due and payable (and the property may be subject to a tax lien, other encumbrance, or foreclosure) when thelast borrower, or eligible non-borrowing surviving spouse, dies, sells the home, permanently moves out, defaults on taxes, insurance payments, or maintenance, or does not otherwise comply withthe loan terms. Interest is not tax-deductible until the loan is partially or fully repaid. No death notices or obituaries are published Mondays. Email: obits@bendbulletin.com HEARING IS NOW MORE ESSENTIAL THAN EVER! Miracle-Ear is here for you! We have remained open to our community throughout this worldwide crisis to service our community with their hearing needs. We understand how crucial it is to hear and now more than ever. Curbside assistance is being offered along with personal care one-on-one appointments. Our offi ce is taking all precautions to provide a safe and clean offi ce for you to visit! MOUNTAINFILM GIVEAWAY ENTRY FORM First & Last Name Email Address - Colleen Greene, Bend Miracle-Ear patient of 12 years! Phone Number Miracle-EarMINI TM Mailing Address Date of Birth Please check here if you would like to be contacted about subscribing to The Bulletin. MAIL YOUR ENTRY FORM TO: Enter to Win! C/O The Bulletin P.O. Box 6020 Bend, OR 97708 SEE CONTEST DETAILS AND ENTER ONLINE AT www.BendBulletin.com/offers or email your entry to enter-to-win@bendbulletin.com No purchase necessary to enter. All entries must be received by 2/21/2021. $ 1 FOR 595 Save on Our Custom Digitial Hearing Aids! Off valid on MEMINI 1 CIC only. Valid at participating Miracle-Ear-Locations. Limit one coupon per purchase. Not valid with any other discounts or offers. Does not apply to prior purchases. See store for details. Cash value 1/20 cent. Offer expires 2/26/2021 ALL RECHARGEABLE HEARING AIDS % BOGO 50 Save on Our Rechargeable Hearing Aids! Special offer applies to purchase of same Miracle-Ear make and model hearing aid. <50>% discount applies on Valid at participating Miracle-Ear locations only. Limit one coupon per purchase. May not be combined with other offers and does not apply to prior sales. Cash value 1/20 cent. See store for details Offer expires 2/26/2021 Don’t Miss a moment with your family! Miracle-Ear is offering a Friends & Family Discount event, please Join us! SPONSORED BY: 541-640-7161 404 NE Greenwood Ave., Bend Corner of Greenwood and 4th St. Hearing aids do not restore natural hearing. Individual experiences vary depending on severity of hearing loss, accuracy of evaluation, proper fi r and ability to adapt to amplifi cation. If you are not completely satisfi ed, the aids may be returned to the store of purchase for a full refund within <30> days of the completion of fi tting, in satisfactory condition as determined by Miracle-Ear. Fitting fees may apply. See store for details. Limited warranty, see store or miracle- ear.com/warrenty for details. Not valid on Audiotone Pro. Cleanings and in-offi ce service are always free. See store for details. Our hearing test and video otoscopic are always free. Hearing test is an audiometric test to determine proper amplifi cation needs only. These are not medical exams or diagnosis nor are they intended to replace a physician’s care. If you suspect a medical problem, please seek treatment from you doctor. Not valid with any other discount or offer. ©2020 Miracle-Ear, Inc. 16679ROPA/v3