100 Years Ago

July 2, 1925 — From ‘Local Happenings’

From the conversation heard on the street, one comes to the conclusion that Redmond will be a deserted city on the Fourth and over the weekend. Parties are planned for lakes, streams and forest, many intending to go over the pass to the McKenzie River resorts.

75 Years Ago

June 29, 1950 — Issue missing …

50 Years Ago

July 2, 1975 — Tetherow Crossing subdivided

The first phase of a thousand-acre home development is under way in the Tetherow Bridge area west of Redmond.

The development is being undertaken by Tetherow Crossing, Inc., composed of Bill Mayfield and Dan Heierman of Northwest Ranch Brokers and Ron Bozarth of Ron’s Realty.

The initial phase includes 22 five-acre parcels encompassing 120 acres. Cinder roads are under construction to county specifications. The first well of a state-approved water system has been drilled. Water was reached at 107 feet.

Heierman said the subdivision has gained state and county approval, including an OK on individual septic tanks for each parcel. The Federal Housing Administration is conducting a local impact study.

Residences, whether mobile or on-site constructed, must meet 1,000 square foot minimum size restrictions. Domestic animals will be permitted as long as they do not constitute a nuisance, said Heierman.

The development may be turned over to a home owners’ association or may be incorporated into an improvement district at a later date to provide ongoing road or water system maintenance. Deschutes County Road District No. 1, the only road improvement district in the county, was developed by Deschutes River Recreation Homesites, a development of Northwest Ranch Brokers.

The 1,000-acre development lies between the Central Electric Cooperative lines on the east and the Deschutes River on the west, including over a quarter mile of river frontage to the north of Tetherow Bridge.

A portion of the river frontage will be reserved as a commons area for use of all subdivision residents.

Adjoining property is owned by the Bureau of Land Management.

Immunization clinic delayed for one week

Public school health nurse Lenor Thornton will conduct the regular preschool immunization clinic Friday, July 11, due to the Fourth of July holiday on the first Friday of the month.

The clinic will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon at the nurse’s office in M.A. Lynch School.

Mrs. Thornton urges parents to have their incoming first graders and kindergarten youngsters immunized now. Waiting until school starts may add just one more traumatic experience for the child already undergoing certain readjustments.

25 Years Ago

June 28, 2000 — Fire officials urge caution on Fourth

Fireworks and Fourth of July go hand in hand, but fireworks and hot, dry weather can spell disaster.

This week’s high temperatures make fire danger, “extreme,” said Redmond Fire Marshal Randy Davis. “I don’t see any relief through the Fourth of July.”

According to the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office, in 1999 there were 134 fires in Oregon caused by fireworks, down from 152 in 1998. Property damage and loss in 1999 was down 79 percent from 1998, from $286,800 to $58,780.

In addition, fireworks-related injuries fell from 81 to 33. Emergency room reports show in 1999 children under age 17 accounted for 25 percent of injuries compared to 60 percent in 1998.

The reduction in fires, property damage and injuries can be attributed partially to the fireworks education, said Robert Panuccio, state fire marshal.

Another reason may be Oregon’s new rule that raised the legal age to buy fireworks to 16, he said.

However, there is no age requirement to buy novelty items such as party poppers, smoke bombs and snakes.

However, even those relatively harmless fireworks can be a fire hazard, Davis said. “It’s takes a match to light ’em.”

A smoke bomb caused a small grass fire Sunday, the first fireworks-related fire in the Redmond area this year.

Davis reminds parents they can be billed for fire suppression costs if their children cause a fire with fireworks. The bill can be several hundred dollars for even a very small fire, he said.

Officials urge those who use fireworks to follow the “Three BES”:

BE prepared before you light fireworks.

• Use only legal fireworks, available at approved stands.

• Place pets indoors; they may become frightened and run away.

• Have a water hose or fire extinguisher nearby.

• Know your address in case of emergency.

BE safe when lighting fireworks.

• Always have an adult light fireworks

• Light one at a time and move away quickly

• Use fireworks outdoors, away from anything that can burn

• Do not throw fireworks or hold them in your hand

BE responsible after you finish.

• Attempting to relight dud fireworks could result in injury. Douse with water and let sit for at least five minutes before approaching.

• Soak used fireworks thoroughly and dispose of properly.

Hospital advancing on merger

The board of directors of Central Oregon District Hospital will vote tonight whether to continue merger negotiations with St. Charles Medical Center.

The board is likely to accept an agreement in principle, a document that outlines how the merger would take place.

So far the seven-member board has voted unanimously in favor of each step toward consolidating the two hospitals since they began talks early this year.

Board chairman Jerry Andres downplayed the importance of the agreement in principle during a board work session Tuesday.

“It’s just a good faith document that says we’re going to work on this,” Andres said.

While it’s not the wedding, the document serves as an engagement ring. It promises the two hospitals will negotiate only with each other, and it lays out the basic structure of a new combined non-profit organization that would manage both CODH and St. Charles.

In addition, an affirmative vote on the agreement in principle tonight will trigger two other actions toward merging with the larger St. Charles.

First, the board will notify Banner Health Systems, which manages CODH, that the district plans to discontinue their contract in six months.

Second, the board is expected to seek a private consulting firm to help the hospitals conduct their “due diligence.” That is a process in which each party examines everything about the other’s business — budgets, contracts, liabilities.

The agreement in principle the board will vote on tonight differs little from an earlier draft. Two changes were made, however.

One is that the CODH board wants to remain at seven members, rather than the suggested five.

Secondly, the board wants to modify a “super majority” clause that would require a majority vote of the representatives from CODH and St. Charles for certain decisions.

The agreement keeps the super majority only for changes in bylaws, dissolution or closure of facilities or elimination of services.

Board members Becky Johnson and Bruce Burger also asked that Andres and CODH Executive Director Jim Diegel investigate changing the mix on the new joint board to make it more equal. The agreement calls for three representatives from CODH and five from St. Charles.