🦋 Is this spring?

TOGETHER WITH

Good morning, Bend! We passed the 8,000 subscriber mark over the weekend 🥳 What do you think - should we start planning something big for when we hit the 10k mark?

In today’s Bend Buzz:

• 🥇 Bend high school athletes take home the gold

• 🍔 The burger finalists are in

• 🧩 Bend-themed jigsaw puzzle?

Let’s get to it.

— Derek Carlson

SPONSORED BY RYAN WALKER STATE FARM

Spring Is Coming—Time to Refresh Your Insurance! 🌷✨ 

Winter is winding down, and spring will be here before we know it! Just like we start cleaning out closets and tidying up after a long winter, now is the perfect time to refresh your insurance policies.

✔️ When was the last time you checked your coverage? Studies show that 56% of homeowners haven’t reviewed their home insurance in the past year, meaning they could be underinsured.

✔️ Could you be saving money? Adjusting your deductible or bundling policies could lead to significant savings—some drivers save up to $525 annually just by increasing their deductible.

✔️ Have your needs changed? New purchases, home updates, or life events might mean it’s time for an update.

Don’t wait until you need your coverage to find out it’s outdated! Visit mybendinsurance.com to start your policy review today, or call 541-640-8080 to chat with our team. 🌿🏠️🚗 

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SNAPSHOTS

🥇 Central Oregon schools dominate at state championships

It was a busy weekend for Bend high school athletes, with state championships taking place in both swimming and nordic skiing. In the pool, the Bend High girls team took home their third straight state team championship and set the meet points record along the way. Campbell McKean from Caldera High set two new state records on the boy’s side. Meanwhile, the state nordic skiing championships took place at Mt. Bachelor, with the Summit girls and Mountain View Boys winning the team titles.

🍔 The burger finalists are in

After 149 votes, we have our list of the 10 top burger spots to start working through. They are (in no particular order) Boneyard Pub, Americana, Midcity, That Guy’s Bistro, Dandy’s, RBC, Mountain Burger, Willieburger, Bend Burger Company, & Blue Eyes. Tasting will begin this week, and results will be logged in real time over at BendBuzz.com. And, of course, I’ll keep you all updated here as well with the final results!

🧩 Vote: Jigsaw Puzzles

One of our favorite ways to pass the time on winter evenings is with a jigsaw puzzle, so we thought maybe we should release our own Bend-themed puzzle. Over the weekend, I put out a call on Instagram for local artists (cause my painting/design skills are…bad) and got some incredible recommendations for folks who might be able to help with a custom design similar to this but for Central Oregon 👇️ 

But I don't want to move forward without getting your feedback first! Let me know what you think, and if this vote passes, we’ll get the process started.

BUSINESS HAPPENINGS

🩻 The Center merges with St. Charles: This has been in the works for a while now, and as of yesterday, The Center is now fully integrated with St. Charles. It will be officially known as St. Charles Center for Orthopedics and Neurosurgery. They are currently in the process of bringing on more providers but admit that the process will take time.

🎉 Celebrate the founding of the Kiwanis Club of Bend: The Kiwanis Club of Bend is throwing a party to celebrate its founding, and you’re invited! Kiwanis is all about helping kids in our community, and this is a great chance to meet the amazing volunteers who make it happen. Swing by Larkspur Community Center this Thursday at 6 PM to join the celebration, learn more, and maybe even get inspired to get involved!

@THEBENDBUZZ

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TOGETHER WITH HEARTFELT PEDIATRICS

📣 Exciting news for Bend families!

On February 27th (that’s just two days away!) Holly Milligan is officially opening the doors to Heartfelt Pediatrics.

Holly is on a mission to make pediatric care more accessible by offering telehealth for families across Oregon and house calls in Bend—even on weekends and after hours!

Heartfelt is well-stocked for house calls to address urgent care needs, including nebulizer treatments and more. This allows your little ones to stay in the comfort of their home while still getting the treatment they need.

To make things easy (and affordable!), she is credentialed with several insurance companies and will work hand in hand with your child’s primary care provider to ensure continuity of care after the visit is done.

💻 Have questions? Reach out to [email protected] or schedule an appointment online and let Holly help your family thrive! 🌟

LOCAL LOWDOWN

Tuesday 2.25

🐻 Working with wildlife: Ever wondered what a career in wildlife rehab would look like? Join Think Wild’s Karla Garcia as she walks you through her journey to working with wildlife. 5:30 PM Downtown Bend Library

🤖 Free bite of robotics: Have youngsters in the house who are interested in dabbling in the world of robotics? Camp Fire Central Oregon is holding an intro to robotics workshop at the Sunriver Library. 3:30 PM Sunriver Library

🌲 Can forests grow their own pot: Pot of soil, that is! Learn from Jill Marshall of Portland State University about the roles that trees play in creating their own soil through physical weathering. 5:30 PM Worthy Brewing

🍽️ Black history dinner celebration: Celebrate the richness of African culture and the trailblazers who shaped our world. This dinner celebration at COCC will include dinner, educational opportunities, and cultural activities. 5 PM COCC - Willie Hall

🕯️ Glow run: Join the Bend Run Club for a 30-minute glow run starting at Lifty’s. Bring glow sticks, light-up vests, or any other lights you have on hand to light up the night. 6 PM Lifty’s

📕 Family story hour: Bring the little ones to Big Story Books for some time of stories and fun. 10 AM Big Story Books

Wednesday 2.26

🎿 Liquid glide wax clinic: Learn the ins and outs of waxing your skis using this newfangled liquid wax. This will keep you gliding just a little better during these rainy and warm conditions. 5:30 PM 157 NW Franklin Ave

📵 Well Wired at Seven Peaks: Meet with the Well Wired crew to learn how to navigate healthy technology use for your elementary-aged kids. 5:30 PM Seven Peaks School

❓️ Sink or swim trivia: Midtown Yacht Club is welcoming Tiger Town Brewing to town with another round of sink or swim trivia. 6 PM Midtown Yacht Club

🎬️ BENT screening: Join the producers and actors from the film BENT at a special screening at the Volcanic Theatre Pub. There will be a meet-and-greet and Q&A session after the film. 7 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

🐕️ Ponch’s Place bingo: There was a farmer who had a dog and…I forget the rest. Anyway, it’s time for another bingo night at Ponch’s Place. Bring your pup, and may the bingo odds be ever in your favor. 5 PM Ponch’s Place

Thursday 2.27

📷️ Media professional happy hour: Meet and mingle with fellow Central Oregonians who are in the professional media space with a happy hour at Bevel Brewing. 5:30 PM Bevel Brewing

⛰️ Run the Alps film fest: Join local trail running legends Elyse Kopecky and Max King at a screening of Alps-inspired films. After the show, there will be raffles and a Q&A. 7 PM 2843 NW Lolo Dr

👩‍💼 February pub talk: EDCO is hosting its monthly pub talk series where you can hear from local business leaders and expand your business network. 4:30 PM Worthy Brewing

📄 Make your resume shine: Looking for a new job (see our local listings below👇️) and need to polish up your resume? Bring your old resume to the Downtown Bend Library for an hour-long review session so you can stand out from the crowd. 12 PM Downtown Bend Library

🍗 Trivia and wings: Ever wondered if eating ungodly spicy chicken wings would increase your trivia skills? Now’s your chance with this weekly round of trivia at Wonderland Chicken in downtown Bend. 7 PM Wonderland Chicken

🌊 76 Days Adrift: Head to the Volcanic Theatre Pub to watch 76 Days Adrift. This film tells the story of Steven Callahan after his boat capsized in the Atlantic Ocean, and he spent 76 days aboard a liferaft with nothing more than a basic emergency kit. 7 PM Volcanic Theatre Pub

Weekend Preview

Here’s your preview of events happening this upcoming weekend. It’s never too early to start looking forward to the work week being over!

LIVE MUSIC

Tuesday 2.25

Goodlife Brewing | Pete Kartsounes | 5:30 PM

Wednesday 2.26

Crosscut Warming Hut | If & When | 6 PM
Old St Francis School | Danger Gently | 7 PM
Commonwealth Pub | Mari & The Dream | 7:30 PM
The Domino Room | Reverend Horton Heat, Black Joe Lewis, & Piñata Protest | 7 PM | Tickets
Tower Theatre | The Wardens | 7:30 PM | Tickets

Thursday 2.27

Suttle Lodge | Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light | 6 PM | Tickets
Mountain Burger | Rum Peppers | 5 PM
Beach Hut Deli | Jess Ryan & James Hutchens Duo | 5 PM
Silver Moon Brewing | Madeline Hawthorne | 7 PM | Tickets
River’s Place | Eric Leadbetter | 6 PM
Commonwealth Pub | Elise Franklin Jazz Quartet | 7:30 PM

WHO’S HIRING IN CENTRAL OREGON

Looking for your next job? Here are some local listings that have popped up over the last week.

• Roofers, Siders, Steel Building Erectors at AM-1 Roofing

• Roving Community Manager at Cascade Management

• Data Engineer at SOLV Energy

• Administrative Support Specialist at Deschutes County

• Project Manager I at Trust for Public Lands

• Short-Term PT Aide at Living Well Therapy

• Charcuterie Specialist at Wild Petals Provisions

Searching for a new job? Browse the full job board

Looking for local candidates for your open position? Post your job

THANKS!

Stay warm, and thank you again for reading!

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