100 Years Ago

May 7, 1925 — From ‘Local Happenings’

Rev. H. Kaye is painting the M.E. (Methodist Episcopal) church and parsonage. He says he likes to paint, because he can see the results of his labor.

Tom Vedder of Lower Bridge left this week for Prineville and the Crooked River Country. He was selling men’s and ladies’ clothing and shoes direct to user. Adv.

75 Years Ago

May 4, 1950 — Mrs. Jones, Mrs. Cronin to Visit 14 Countries; Have Papal Audience

An audience with Pope Pius while in Rome for Holy Year and visits in 14 European countries will be on the itinerary of Mrs. Raymond F. Jones and Mrs. John Cronin of Powell Butte this summer.

The two women, traveling all the way to Europe by airliner, will leave Tuesday, May 16, when they board a United Mainliner at Roberts field. From Portland they will fly to New York, crossing the Atlantic by Pan-American World Airways.

Countries they will see include Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Scotland, England and Ireland.

They will spend the longest time in Ireland, where they will be entertained by relatives of the Cronins and by Michael O’Donovan, father of the late Father John O’Donovan.

All details of the extensive European trip have been arranged for Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Cronin by Harold C. Clapp of World-Wide Travel bureau. Their land travel on the continent has been worked out by Lissone-Lindeman (“Lis-Lind”).

Leaving LaGuardia field in New York Thursday, May 18, Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Cronin will arrive at Lisbon, Portugal the next day.

They will spend May 20 and 21 at Fatima, Portugal, visiting the spa at Caldas da Rainha, monasteries and abbeys.

Flying to Madrid, Spain, May 22, they will spend a day sightseeing, going to Rome May 24 by Spanish airline. They will remain in Rome until June 1, visiting holy shrines and seeing ancient Roman buildings and other famed spots.

Their audience with the pope and visit to the Vatican will take place during this period. …

50 Years Ago

May 7, 1975 — County land given city

The Deschutes County Commission transferred 212 acres of land to the City of Redmond without a single objection from residents of the county at a hearing Wednesday of last week at the courthouse in Bend.

The land is located on either end of Runway 4-22 at Roberts Field and will be used as clear zone for what is to become the primary runway at the airport.

District attorney Louis Selken was directed to draw up the necessary papers on the land transfer. A reversionary clause will be included that would require return of the land to the county should Redmond cease to use it in connection with airport operations.

The vote of transfer was unanimous with all three commissioners present, according to chairman Abe Young. No one appeared at the hearing to voice objections.

Firemen on mutual aid 

Redmond firemen assisted the Bend Fire Department early this morning on a $150,000 fire in the Thunderbird Motel, E. Third and Olney Ave., Bend. The fire, discovered at 2 a.m., claimed the entire back wing of the 76-unit motel and spread smoke throughout the facility.

25 Years Ago

May 3, 2000 — School levy figure set at $48 million

After nearly a year of research, meetings and debate, the Redmond School Board on Tuesday unanimously voted to seek a $48.1 million bond levy Nov. 7 to build four new schools.

The measure mirrors a district Facilities Planning Committee’s previous recommendation except for the price.

Board members pared down the facilities committee’s recommendation for a $51.1 million levy by opting to use about $3 million in interest from the sale of the bonds to pay construction costs.

Normally, bond interest is used to fund unanticipated construction charges or to help fund teachers and administrators who help plan the schools in advance.

If passed, the levy will mean a $1.70 per $1,000 valuation property tax increase, or an extra $170 annually for a $100,000 home.

Residents are still paying off the debt from the $25.6 million school bond levy voters approved in 1993. That levy will not be retired until 2009.

“I’m thrilled they supported the committee,” said Bond Planning Director Judy Delahunt, who headed the 32-member volunteer facilities committee. “It sends a message back to the community that they supported a commanity-based decision.”

School Board Chairman Wayne Van Matre, calling the decision “probably the hardest process I’ve ever been involved with,” said board members felt it was crucial to set the bond amount under $50 million to give it a better chance of passing come November.

That was one reason the board decided not to seek money for repairs or renovations at existing schools, Van Matre said.

“I think it’s very important for a lot of people to keep this under $50 million,” he said. “There are issues at all the schools. The final point was that this was only about filling seats. The other is sues will have to be addressed.”

In all, the measure will add space for more than 2,050 classroom seats. With portable classrooms, school administrators predict they’ll be able to find seats for a growing student population through 2009.

Here’s what the $48.1 million will buy:

• Two new elementary schools that will open with 450 students each, but can be expanded to 600 students. Cost: $16.6 million.

• An expandable middle school that will open with 450 students, but can be enlarged for 680 O students. Cost: $9.6 million.

The middle and elementary schools may both be located on a 25-acre parcel the district bought last month at the corner of NW Spruce Avenue and NW 10th Street. That option would shave land costs.

• A $22 million starter high school that will house 700 students when built but which can be expanded to hold up to 1,400 students. The school will include all facilities at Redmond High School except a varsity football stadium.