CRESCENT LAKE, OR -- A couple from La Pine suspected fentanyl trafficking was recently arrested in Klamath County. Detectives from the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team pulled over 35-year-old Mario Fivecoats at the Crescent Lake Junction, late Thursday night. Authorities say 31-year-old Rebecca Ann Toepher and her six-year-old son were also in the car.

A K-9 deputy alerted to the presence of drugs in the car and a search turned up a commercial quantity of fentanyl pills and meth. Investigators believe the pair is responsible for importing drugs from the Portland area to sell in south Deschutes County.

They were taken into custody on multiple charges and Oregon DHS placed the child with a relative.

BEND, OR -- One candidate for Deschutes County Commissioner announced earlier this week he was dropping out of the race, but Brian Huntamer tells KBND News he’s decided to remain, “At this point, I need to put my best foot forward. I need to be honest. I need to stick to my principles and ideals. And if I wind up winning it, that's fine. I'll be happy to take the position and do my best.”

Huntamer says County Clerk Steve Dennison told him the deadline to withdraw had passed, “Everything went out in the voter's pamphlet. I was put on the ballot. Absentee votes were sent out. Steve also mentioned that a lot of those votes are coming back already. That was the number one consideration. And I want everyone's vote to count and if even only one person voted for me, I wanted that vote to be counted.”

While he did not participate in this week’s City Club of Central Oregon forum, he says he will continue to campaign and will serve if elected, “I think my best position to be is to keep running. And I actually made that decision when the forum was completed.”

If one candidate does not receive over 50% of the vote, there will be a runoff election in November with the top two candidates. Standard ballots will be mailed to voters on May first for the May 21^st primary.

BEND, OR -- Bend City Councilors could get a pay raise, but they’ll have to get re-elected to see the increase. "Every five years, an independent committee is charged with meeting and reviewing their compensation," says City Manager Eric King says, "For the Councilors, they’re making about $9,000 a year. It would move up to $30,000 a year. For the Mayor, it would move up from about $19-20,000 to $50,000 a year." He tells KBND News, "That recommendation was based on a lot of data from other similar-sized cities here in Oregon. So, that adjustment puts us more in the middle of the pack, compared to other similar-sized cities in Oregon, as well as in Washington. They looked in that state, as well."

Sitting Councilors get the final say. "It’ll go formally for a vote at the next Council meeting. But it doesn’t take effect. Council cannot vote in their own pay raises, so there has to be an intervening election," says King. "If Council approves this, it can’t be until the next election cycle that somebody would be eligible to receive it."

He says some positions would see the increase in January, following the November election, "It would be those seats - there’s four seats that are up in 2024 and so, whoever gets elected into those seats would be eligible for the new compensation." Seats not up for a vote this year, including the Mayor, would continue to earn the lower amount until after the 2026 election.

REDMOND, OR -- The city of Redmond intentionally flooded a portion of the Dry Canyon this week. Assistant City Engineer Lindsey Cromsigt says it was necessary to test a new drinking water well near the dog park, "The new well is really needed to support the city’s growing water demand and provides capacity and redundancy for our water system. So that testing was conducted per state requirements."

Cromsigt tells KBND News, "To test the well, we had to run a constant rate test, as required by the state. So we were pumping 3,500 gallons per minute out of the well for a 12 hour period." She adds, "We’re really excited that the well performed per the expectations and we’re going to be able to produce the water needed to meet our city’s growing demand."

However, that testing resulted in as much as three feet of flooding in some areas north of the disc golf course, "So, the paved walking paths in the Dry Canyon are open and the disc golf course will reopen shortly after this weekend. However, the dirt walking trails between the West Canyon Rim entrance and the disc golf course will remain closed until further notice, as we re-evaluate the restoration needed in that area." Cromsigt hopes the water will soak back into the ground naturally, but says if it takes too long, they'll bring in pumps to get things cleared. She expects dirt trails to reopen in a few weeks. "We do ask that residents respect the trail closures and stay off the dirt paths until the signs and barricades are removed from the area; and just continue to use those paved path areas, in the meantime."

Despite those barricades and signs, visitors have been seen walking through water, "We ask that people do not walk through muddy or swampy areas because those muddy conditions will further hinder our progress and make the restoration take a longer period of time." Cromsigt says, "Walking in muddy conditions only further deteriorates the dirt trails that we are trying our hardest to preserve. So, by letting the water dry out and letting the conditions return back to normal, that’s when we can have our most effect doing our restoration plan."

This is the first time the Dry Canyon has been used for such an operation. The city’s last new well - its eighth - was developed in southwest Redmond, and crews used a nearby canal to catch water pumped out during testing. 

Because more infrastructure is needed, Redmond's ninth well isn't expected to be operational until late 2026. 

BEND, OR -- Following passage of HB 4002, Deschutes County is moving ahead with plans to create a deflection program for people caught with user-amounts of illicit drugs.

"It is essentially a goal to divert people who are willing to engage in some time behavioral health or substance use disorder treatment, to divert them from entering the criminal justice system and having that on their record long term," Behavioral Health Deputy Director Holly Harris told County Commissioners on Wednesday. "We would like to implement a Law Enforcement-Assisted Diversion program, otherwise known as LEAD. So, similar to what Marion County has in their community; similar to what Seattle has done in their community. These are evidence-based programs. And they really can be tailored to your community’s resources and needs, and what your community desires to do with these types of programs." She added, "When law enforcement encounters somebody out in the community that is now in possession of small amounts of drugs - deflection-eligible amounts - they can be offered deflection."

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Harris says unlike in Marion County, where efforts are driven by the Sheriff's Office, the Behavioral Health division would lead Deschutes County's program. She told Commissioners Best Care and Ideal Options have already signed on to help provide staff when someone is caught with drugs, "So, those two partners will be able to respond 24/7 to the scene with law enforcement, if that’s what’s appropriate, to really make that initial connection - which is what the legislation was all about: making that point of contact, starting to build rapport and engagement, and offer follow-up services." Harris says, "If the individual is willing to accept that and they do the follow-up requirements, that are still yet to be developed as part of the program, then their charges can be dismissed and their record expunged."

Deschutes County was one of the first to notify the state of plans to create a deflection program under the new law. Because of that early adoption, Harris expects the county to receive more than $756,000 in state funding, with the first half allocated for development and roll-out of the program.