TERREBONNE, OR -- After years of negotiations with Deschutes County and the Terrebonne community, the Oregon Department of Transportation will soon start work on Highway 97 improvements at Lower Bridge Way. The project includes a new “dog-bone” interchange, designed to provide safer access to Crooked River Ranch. "US 97 will essentially be a bridge over the roads that go underneath, with on and off-ramps," says ODOT's Kacey Davey, "So, that’s a really good safety feature and something that’s going to help traffic flow through the area."

ODOT initially wanted to split north and southbound traffic with a "couplet" on 11th Street, in an effort to increase capacity and reduce congestion. But the plan was scrapped after outcry from several Terrebonne businesses. Davey now tells KBND News, "There will be two-way traffic on US 97, just as it is now. So, we’re not going to split and do northbound one way, and then another block over do southbound."

Davey says the goal is to instead keep traffic moving with other improvements, "There’s going to be an easier way for people to turn left onto 97. People who are coming from east of the highway - So, say you’re coming from Smith Rock - you’ll be able to go to this interchange and have a safe and easy way to merge onto 97, instead of having to wait and dart out across traffic as you’re trying to go southbound."

Some local roads will also get upgrades, through a partnership with the county, "There will be improvements to 11th Street in Terrebonne, which is that other parallel street. But that’s just going to be streetscaping and sidewalks, and making that area nicer for local traffic." Davey adds, "Smith Rock Way will also get improved. It will have a little wider travel lanes, and it will have bike lanes and sidewalks, as well." Work on the $30 million project should begin in Spring and finish by the end of 2025.

ODOT will discuss the design, detours and schedule at 5 p.m. Monday at Terrebonne Community School. Another open house is Wednesday at 5 p.m., at the Crooked River Ranch Administration Building. Click HERE for more information on the meetings and project. 

SUNRIVER, OR -- A Washington County pair was arrested Friday morning south of Sunriver, after allegedly stealing a truck and trailer from separate locations in Bend.

The trailer's owner said a tracker on the vehicle showed it was south of Sunriver.  A U.S. Forest Service officer found the vehicles and provided surveillance until Sheriff's deputies arrived just after noon. The two suspects took off in a car, but were arrested a short time later in business park on Venture Lane.

During the search for the suspects, Three Rivers School was placed in "Secure" status, where the doors are locked but classes continued.

Jason Carlson and Jasmine Diab were arrested on unrelated warrants and other charges. The truck and trailer were returned to their owners.

BEND, OR -- The City of Bend is considering changes to its System Development Charges that pay for water, transportation, and sewer.

City Management Analyst Sarah Hutson says a methodology update will create more consistency in the fee structure, and lower costs for smaller housing units, “We’re going to a tiered structure for single unit detached homes and middle housing, so two to four units like duplexes and triplexes and quadplexes. That fee will be based on square footage rather than one uniform rate for single family homes.”

She tells KBND News there are other proposed changes, “We’re also looking at expanding exemptions for childcare facilities. So right now, child care is exempted from transportation SDCs. Under the proposed structure they would be exempted from water, sewer, and transportation.”

The city is keeping home affordability in mind. “We’re looking at how do we increase housing affordability while still getting revenue that the city needs. You’re looking at lower SDCs for residential units that have a smaller footprint so it helps with that density that is a really big part of the city’s goals,” Hutson says adding, some places won’t see much change. “Lower fees for smaller homes, and higher fees for higher square footage homes. So, because of that tiered structure, it really depends on the type of development.”

A public work session next Wednesday December 6^th. A public hearing will be held January 17th.  You can view the proposals at the city’s website.

If accepted, the changes would take effect next July.

REDMOND, OR -- Thanks to the return of winter weather, Redmond's = ice rink opens to the public Saturday, December 2nd, at 2 p.m. It's located on Seventh Street, betwee SW Deschutes and Evergreen Avenues. 

The 4,000-square foot rink operates seven days a week, through March, weather permitting. Skate rentals are available 3-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 2-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2-9 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $2 with your own skates, $6 with skate rental.

Free skate is open for those with their own skates Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.,  and Friday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. During those times, the ice surface may not be groomed and ther rink closes if there's snow on the rink, the ice is too soft or other safety hazards exist. 

More information is available at the Redmond Area Parks and Rec website. 

file photo

BEND, OR -- Bend Police say a 26-year-old Bend man wanted to meet an underage girl for sex, offering to supply her with "magic mushrooms," alcohol and condoms for the encounter. The person Hunter Nash met online earlier this week wasn't a 16-year-old girl, though. It was a BPD officer working undercover to find adults who try to lure minors through social media and online dating sites. 

Investigators say after Nash learned the person he was messaging was 16, he sent explicit photos and pictures of bags of psilocybin mushrooms. He agreed to meet the girl at Ponderosa Skate Park in Bend Tuesday evening. When he arrived, officers took him into custody. They say they found  condoms and a 12-pack of White Claw in his car. More than 28 grams of psilocybin was also recovered from his home. 

Nash is charged with Attempting to Furnish Liquor to a Minor, drug possession, Attempted Delivery of a Schedule I Substance to a Minor, Luring a Minr for Sexual Conduct, Online Sexual Corruption of a Child, Attempted Sex Abuse and Endangering a Minor.