Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Bulletin. (Bend, OR) 1963-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2021)
A2 THE BULLETIN • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2021 The Bulletin How to reach us LOCAL, STATE & REGION DESCHUTES COUNTY CIRCULATION Didn’t receive your paper? Start or stop subscription? 541-385-5800 PHONE HOURS 6 a.m.-noon Tuesday-Friday 7 a.m.-noon Saturday-Sunday and holidays Deschutes County cases: 5,746 (8 new cases) Deschutes County deaths: 56 (zero new deaths) LOCAL VACCINATIONS Crook County cases: 749 (2 new cases) Crook County deaths: 18 (zero new deaths) 23,086 Jefferson County cases: 1,891 (3 new cases) Jefferson County deaths: 27 (zero new deaths) Number of vaccinations given by St. Charles Health System 120 (Jan. 1) 90 new cases 110 *No data available on Jan. 31 due to state computer maintenence (Nov. 27) 90 80 70 50 7-day average 28 new cases (July 16) 40 31 new cases (Oct. 31) 30 16 new cases (Sept. 19) 20 (May 20) 1st case 100 (Nov. 14) 9 new cases ONLINE 108 new cases 60 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Mon.-Fri. www.bendbulletin.com 130 (Dec. 4) What is COVID-19? It’s an infection caused by a new coronavirus. Symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath. This virus can be fatal. 7 ways to help limit its spread: 1. Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. 2. Avoid touching your face. 3. Avoid close contact with sick people. 4. Stay home. 5. In public, stay 6 feet from others and wear a mask. 6. Cough into your elbow. 7. Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. 47 new cases COVID-19 patients hospitalized at St. Charles Bend on Tuesday: 17 (3 in ICU). 541-382-1811 BULLETIN GRAPHIC 129 new cases COVID-19 data for Tuesday, Feb. 16: Oregon cases: 150,875 (411 new cases) Oregon deaths: 2,138 (1 new death) GENERAL INFORMATION SOURCES: OREGON HEALTH AUTHORITY, DESCHUTES COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES New COVID-19 cases per day 10 (March 11) EMAIL bulletin@bendbulletin.com March April May June July August September October November December January February AFTER HOURS Newsroom ................................541-383-0348 Circulation ................................541-385-5800 NEWSROOM EMAIL NEWSROOM FAX 541-385-5804 OUR ADDRESS Street .............. 320 SW Upper Terrace Drive Suite 200 Bend, OR 97702 Mailing ........... P.O. Box 6020 Bend, OR 97708 B ADMINISTRATION Publisher Heidi Wright ..............................541-383-0341 Editor Gerry O’Brien .............................541-633-2166 DEPARTMENT HEADS Advertising Steve Rosen ................................541-383-0370 Circulation/Operations Vitto Kleinschmidt ...................541-617-7830 Finance Anthony Georger ....................541-383-0324 Human Resources ................541-383-0340 LOCAL BRIEFING Bend reopens applications man Rights and Equity Com- mission, contact Senior Man- for 2 new committees Due to technical issues, the city of Bend is reopening the application process for po- sitions on the newly-created Human Rights and Equity Commission and the Trans- portation Bond Oversight Committee. The city is reopening ap- plications because there is a chance some applications weren’t properly received due to technical problems, accord- ing to a city press release. Applications for both com- mittees will now be accepted until 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22. Applicants whose forms were received have already been notified. Applications can be found at www.bendoregon.gov/ committees. For questions about the Hu- agement Analyst Shelly Smith, at shsmith@bendoregon.gov or 541-388-5535. For questions on serving on the Transportation Bond Oversight Committee, contact Senior Policy Analyst Susanna Julber at sjulber@bendoregon. gov or 541-693-2132. Humane Society of Central Oregon celebrates 60 years On its 60th anniversary, the Humane Society of Central Oregon credits the support from the community for help- ing the animal shelter continue its mission of caring for ani- mals. Because of the support for programs and services at the humane society, the number of shelter animals has decreased over the past six decades while TALK TO A REPORTER REDMOND BUREAU Mailing address ..................P.O. Box 6020 Bend, OR 97708 Phone ......................................... 541-617-7829 CORRECTIONS The Bulletin’s primary concern is that all stories are accurate. If you know of an error in a story, call us at 541-383-0367. TO SUBSCRIBE Call us ......................541-385-5800 • Home delivery and E-Edition ..........................$7 per week • By mail .................................$9.50 per week • E-Edition only ...................$4.50 per week To sign up for our e-Editions, visit www.bendbulletin.com to register. TO PLACE AN AD Classified ......................................541-385-5809 Advertising fax ..........................541-385-5802 Other information ....................541-382-1811 OBITUARIES No death notices or obituaries are published Mondays. When submitting, please include your name, address and contact number. Call to ask about deadlines, Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Phone ..........................................541-385-5809 Fax .................................................541-598-3150 Email .......................obits@bendbulletin.com OTHER SERVICES Back issues ................................541-385-5800 Photo reprints .........................541-383-0366 Apply for a job ........................541-383-0340 All Bulletin payments are accepted at the drop box at City Hall or at The Bulletin, P.O. Box 6020, Bend, OR 97708. Check payments may be converted to an electronic funds transfer. The Bulletin, USPS #552-520, is published daily by Central Oregon Media Group, 320 SW Upper Terrace Drive, Bend, OR 97702. Periodicals postage paid at Bend, OR. Postmaster: Send address changes to The Bulletin circulation department, P.O. Box 6020, Bend, OR 97708. The Bulletin retains ownership and copyright protection of all staff-prepared news copy, advertising copy and news or ad illustrations. They may not be reproduced without explicit prior approval. ý Lottery results can now be found on the second page of Sports. program expanded into the tri- county area with pet food be- ing distributed to regional food pantries. The humane society formed Feb. 14, 1961, after a small grassroots group decided Bend needed a humane soci- ety. Bend had a population of 11,936 at the time. To celebrate the 60th anni- versary, the humane society is selling items at the shelter and thrift store such as limited edi- tion masks and long -sleeved T-shirts. Veterans court presentation planned An upcoming presentation in La Pine will offer informa- tion for veterans who are de- fendants in the criminal justice system. The meeting will begin at 12:34 p.m. at the La Pine Christian Center, 52565 Day Road. Presenter Bill Minnix said the venue practices safe social distancing and masks will be required to enter the building. Minnix was involved in the passage of federal legislation funding veterans treatment courts across the country. Vet- erans courts offer intervention opportunities for military vet- erans charged with low-level crimes. The program is aimed at reducing recidivism and in- stances of relapse and smooth- ing their re-entry into society. Deschutes County Commis- sioner Tony DeBone will at- tend. Pizza will be provided. The meeting can also be at- tended online via Zoom with the meeting code 744-6351- 2642. For information, call 503- 457-6942. — Bulletin staff report Republican leader: Session shouldn’t resume until all Oregonians have power, TALK TO AN EDITOR City Julie Johnson ...................541-383-0367 Business, Features, GO! Magazine Jody Lawrence-Turner ............541-383-0308 Editorials Richard Coe ...........541-383-0353 News Tim Doran .......................541-383-0360 Photos .........................................541-383-0366 Sports ..........................................541-383-0359 Bend/Deschutes Government Brenna Visser .............................541-633-2160 Business Suzanne Roig ............................541-633-2117 Calendar .....................................541-383-0304 Crook County ..........................541-617-7829 Deschutes County ................541-617-7818 Education Jackson Hogan ...........................541-617-7854 Fine Arts/Features David Jasper .................................541-383-0349 General Assignment Kyle Spurr ...................................541-617-7820 Health Suzanne Roig ............................541-633-2117 Jefferson County ..................541-617-7829 La Pine ........................................541-383-0367 Music Brian McElhiney .......................541-617-7814 Public Lands/Environment Michael Kohn ............................541-617-7818 Public Safety Garrett Andrews ......................541-383-0325 Redmond Jackson Hogan ...........................541-617-7854 Salem/State Government .. 541-617-7829 Sisters .........................................541-383-0367 Sunriver .....................................541-383-0367 the region’s population has grown, the humane society said in a press release. In 1991, when Bend’s popu- lation was 25,000, the humane society cared for 4,500 animals. Today, with Bend’s population around 100,000, the shelter cares for about 3,000 animals annually, the society said. Part of the decrease in shel- ter animals is due to more peo- ple spaying and neutering their pets, the humane society said. In 2018, the humane society added the Bend Spay+Neuter Project. Over the years, the humane society also added programs to reunite lost pets, vaccinate and microchip pets, collect food do- nations and cremation services. Last year, the humane so- ciety expanded it s HOPE Pet Food Bank to help people keep their pets fed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Contributed/via Blue Mountain Eagle The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will use this helicopter to conduct a deer survey in the coming weeks. New method of deer survey planned amid declining populations BY RUDY DIAZ The Blue Mountain Eagle A new deer survey will soon be underway, but officials ex- pect more of the same: declin- ing populations. Ryan Platt, the assistant dis- trict wildlife biologist at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s John Day Field Office, said ODFW is flying for the survey earlier this year because they will conduct a new survey method to count the declining deer population. A helicopter will be fly- ing out starting Feb. 22 as it conducts surveys on the deer population for three weeks throughout Grant County. This year, Platt said ODFW is working with a statisti- cal sampling-based survey method called Sight Rat, the first time they have used this method in the John Day Dis- trict. He said this survey com- bines two population methods based on sizes and quadrants. “We’re kind of guessing we’ll see more decline from the pre- vious years when we did our statistical sampling,” Platt said. Platt said one problem deer face in the John Day Valley is winter range degradation caused by juniper and annual grass encroachment. He also said some ranges are not as productive as they used to be due to a change in climate, suppressing fires and the de- cline of logging. Disease issues are also grow- ing with mule deer, according to Platt. He said, in 2015, mule deer in the Eastern Oregon re- gion faced an outbreak of the epizootic hemorrhagic disease. This disease makes deer bleed internally, which either kills them right away or causes last- ing effects, Platt said. “On bucks, we know that it shrivels their testicles, and they’re unable to produce hormones that regulate ant- ler growth,” Platt said. “That’s why you’ll see velvet bucks this time of year when everyone one else has antlers that hard- ened or dropped off.” Platt said they are not sure how the epizootic hemor- rhagic disease harms does, but they have suspicions that it could impact their fawn pro- ductivity or survival. Prior to 2015, he said there were about 60 fawns per 100 does going into winter with about 30-40 fawns com- ing out of the season. Since 2015, there have been about 40 fawns per 100 does in the winter, coming out with 25-35 fawns after . “That right there indicates that we don’t have the fawn recruitment that we need to sustain a growing population locally,” Platt said. “Those are probably the two biggest im- pacts of our mule deer pop- ulation locally. It’s just a bad time to be a mule deer in the West. Pretty much all popula- tions are going down, and no one has found that silver bullet cure to change the trajectory.” BY BETSY HAMMOND The Oregonian The Oregon Legislature is slated to resume its virtual session on Wednesday. But with more than 200,000 Ore- gon households still without power Tuesday afternoon, that is likely too early to re- open the Legislature, House Republican Leader Christine Drazan said. Members of the public can only read proposed bills, watch lawmakers deliberate and offer testimony online, given coronavirus-related closure of the Capitol in Sa- lem, she noted. “Legislative leaders com- mitted to an open and trans- parent session. We must honor that commitment and not leave Oregonians behind in a rush to return to busi- PODCAST Business ........business@bendbulletin.com City Desk .............news@bendbulletin.com Features.................................................................. communitylife@bendbulletin.com Sports ................. sports@bendbulletin.com ness as usual,” Drazan said in a statement issued early Tuesday afternoon. “Today I am calling on the speaker to put the welfare and on-going recovery of Oregonians first and pause all legislative activity,” Dra- zan said. House Speaker Tina Kotek, who has been part of the decision-making team that canceled Monday’s and Tuesday’s planned session activities, did not immedi- ately respond to a request for comment. As of 12:30 p.m., Portland General Electric was re- porting that 205,000 house- holds, mostly in Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah and Washington counties, lacked power. Drazan’s district, cen- tered on Canby, is in south- ern Clackamas County. In addition, Comcast re- ported Tuesday that 125,000 households were without in- ternet services, in some cases even though the homes had power. Oregon House Democrats have not indicated whether they plan to resume opera- tions Wednesday. But they and some caucus mem- bers have used social me- dia to share information to help Oregonians affected by power outages. Drazan said Tuesday the focus should stay there. “We need to keep our focus on serving constituents and the most vulnerable while we await power to be restored. Our work in the legislature should come back online once the power does.” Introducing a new podcast produced by Partners In Care. Join us to discuss death, dying and the pursuit of a life well lived. Now available through your favorite podcast player. # Visit PartnersBend.org for more information