Here’s a quick road construction update for May 22-28.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Here is Deschutes County’s road construction update for the week of May 22-28.

2022 Guardrail Improvements (Sunriver Area) – Guardrail replacement work will be occurring on Cottonwood Road and Solar Drive. Work will include removal of existing guardrail and installation of new guardrail in the vicinity of the BNSF Railroad overcrossing on Cottonwood Road and the Solar Drive Bridge. Road users should anticipate single lane closures facilitated by flaggers and delays of up to 20 minutes during work hours.  Work hours are 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays).

Chip Seal (Bend Area) – Deschutes County crews will be chip sealing the following roads (weather permitting):

Prescribed burns for Crescent and Sunriver happening today. Learn more here.

Two prescribed burns are planned in the Deschutes National Forest for Friday. The following is information written by the forest service:

Firefighters on the Crescent Ranger District plan to conduct a 73-acre prescribed burn approximately seven miles southwest of Crescent, east of Highway 58 and west of Highway 97.

If conditions remain favorable, firefighters will begin ignitions around 9 a.m. on Friday. Ignitions will last one day. Smoke may be visible to residents in the Two Rivers and Cascade Estates neighborhoods. Signs will be posted along Highways 58 and 97 as needed, and flaggers will be available in the event that smoke impacts the roadways. No…

Meta in Prineville awarded a $11,200 grant to Family Access Network. Find out more here.

Meta’s (previously Facebook) Prineville Data Center just gave a $11,200 Community Action Grant to Family Access Network (FAN).

The funds are meant to assist FAN’s Crook County program, supporting the two advocates in the area.

FAN has connected 474 people in Crook County to crucial needs like clothing, food, and school supplies during the first three quarters of 2021-22.

“FAN is deeply grateful for Prineville Data Center’s support of our services in Crook County, and their long-term commitment to the community,” said Julie N. Lyche, FAN Executive Director. “This grant will help many families in Crook County regain stability, so kids can thrive in…

Brightways Counseling Group of Bend was named SBA’s 2022 Small Business Person of the Year. Find out more here.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — – The U.S. Small Business Administration 2022 Small Business Person of the Year is Brightways Counseling Group of Bend, founded by husband and wife team Kevin and Angie Shaw.

Founded in 2017, Brightways Counseling Group counselors provide whole person care for people suffering from a variety of different mental health issues in Central Oregon. What started with one clinic and eight employees has grown to four locations in Bend, Madras, Redmond, and Woodburn, Oregon with 65 employees who in 2021, helped 2,634 patients be the best version of themselves.

The SBA Small Business Person of the…

Late-season snow fall will affect the openings of some campgrounds. Learn more here.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Recent late-season storms have brought much-needed snow to the Deschutes National Forest’s upper elevations. However, Forest Service officials said Tuesday the heavy snowfall has also affected the ability to conduct annual preseason safety inspections, maintenance and repairs and hazard tree removal in some campgrounds.

Traditionally, a number of campgrounds in the Crane Prairie and Wickiup Reservoir areas open in time to coincide with the start of the annual fishing season.

“While fishing season opens Friday, April 22, snow impacts have prevented our campground concessionaire from completing critical hazard tree removal work and maintenance at these facilities,” the statement said.

Campgrounds in those…

30 small earthquakes occurred beneath the eastern shore of Paulina Lake. Find out more here.

VANCOUVER, Wash. (KTVZ) — Nearly 30 shallow earthquakes — too small to be felt — have occurred in the past week and a half beneath the eastern shore of Paulina Lake at Newberry Volcano, but U.S. Geological Survey seismologists said Monday they are not a cause for alarm and are “likely the result of fluids moving in the hydrothermal system.”

In their information statement, the seismologists called it “a slight uptick in seismic activity” and said there were no signs of ground deformation or “other indications of unrest,” so the alert level for the area remains at “normal.”

It’s been a decade since Cascades…

Redmond and Portland will see federal investments in emergency preparedness, public safety, and economic development. Learn more here.

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Sens. Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Ore., announced Monday that Portland’s airport will receive a major federal investment to ensure its runway survives a major earthquake, along with other emergency preparedness funds, including $750,000 toward a regional emergency training and coordination center in Redmond.

The funding was among a range of federal investments in Oregon’s emergency preparedness, public safety, and economic development included in the 2022 omnibus spending bill, which has now been signed into law by President Biden, according to the lawmakers’ news release, which continues in full below.

Senator Merkley, a member of…

New rental housing is underway in the area of Wilson Ave. and 15th St. Find out more here.

By Suzanne Roig, Bend Bulletin 

Rental housing is being planned on a 32.75-acre parcel where Wilson Avenue and 15th Street intersect that could be move-in ready over the next couple of years.

Construction could begin in late 2023 after the owners, Evergreen Housing Development Group, move forward with amending the original master plan to remove the commercial development that was previously approved. The Bend City Council adopted the project concept in 2015. The property was listed for sale for $10.9 million and sold in January.

The Wildflower Planned Development will be 574 homes — three-story walk-up apartments, townhomes, cottage-style single-family homes…

Bend’s real estate market sees no signs of slowing… Median home sales prices at $740,000. Learn more here.

(Update: Average Bend home sale price is even higher — $879,000)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Gas prices aren’t the only thing zooming fast into record territory on the High Desert: Bend’s median home sales price soared $57,000 in February alone to smash the record and reach $740,000, Beacon Appraisal Group reported Tuesday.

The inventory “remains less than a half-month supply,” appraiser Donnie Montagner said, “and there was a significant increase in the number of new (building) permits,” jumping from 37 in January to a summer-like 79 new permits last month.

“In addition to market appreciation, about 64 sales were over $769K,”…