100 years ago

May 11, 1916 — A movement has been started to dissolve Union High School District No. 1, and before the matter comes to a vote it would be well for citizens of the component districts to consider carefully the motive behind the movement.

The dissenters are mistaken in their statements for the first, they claim that there is no possibility of the district ever being released from the county high school tax.

The present is the school’s first year, and upon the initial petition for release presented to the boundary board last December, the County Judge with Commissioner Blanchard, voted for such release. Now it does not stand to reason that these two gentlemen would impeach their own former judgment by reversing their vote. Then, since these two are placed, there remains but to dine the favorable consideration of one of the other two members.

75 years ago

May 8, 1941 — At a price of $17,500, the C.O.I. District bought out the Odin Falls Ranch in a deal closed in Portland on Monday and Tuesday, and this retired permanently the ranch’s control over 80 second-feet of natural flow of the Deschutes river.

To get actual use of the 80 second-feet of water, however, the C.O.I. must also pay the Pacific Power and Light Company $35 a day for everyday that the water is used — a rate that will pile up to between $3,000 and $4,000 during the present irrigation season. The ranch had to be purchased by the C.O.I. District before the deal could be closed with the power company. The ranch derived its water supply from the tailings of the power company’s generating plant at Cline falls, and a series of lawsuits have established the point that the power company could not dispense with the flow of power water at Cline falls without the consent of Odin falls, several miles down river.

50 years ago

May 12, 1966 — Recommending further study of domestic water development possibilities in rural areas of Deschutes County, but pointing out that many problems must be overcome, the report of the Deschutes County Rural Water Development committee has been released.

“The majority of the rural residents must be convinced that the community systems are necessary to provide a sanitary source of domestic water and for future development of the county,” it is stated. “Financing of community systems will be the key to their acceptance by rural residents. If hookup costs are kept to a point where is it economical to get water from the system than to maintain one’s own water supply from irrigation ditch water or wells, there should be general acceptance of community-wide systems.”

The committee’s report recommends to the county court that it make further study of domestic water development possibilities in rural areas, contracting with engineering firms.

25 years ago

May 8, 1991 — The City Council Chamber at Redmond City Hall was lined wall to wall with people at Monday’s Redmond Urban Area Planning Commission meeting. Most of the 50-plus citizens present had come to express their concerns about a proposed multi-family apartment complex.

They did so, and the commission extended the public hearing on the proposed 179-unit Desert Canyon Apartment project to June 17. Just over a year ago, the 10.5-acre project site between Quartz and Reindeer avenues and between 16th and 19th streets was scheduled for development under the name Juniper Gardens. The new development seems to have inherited the reputation of the former proposal. The city received 18 letters opposing the project, including two petitions that carried 141 signatures.