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Mt Bachelor Names new President/GM
After its nationwide search, Tuesday Mt.
Bachelor announced Dave Rathbun will
take over as president and general
manager of the resort.
Rathbun is no stranger to the daily
operations of a large ski resort. He
previously served as the director of
marketing, sales, reservations, and golf
at Killington Resort and Pico Mountain
in Vermont, a sister resort to Mt.
Bachelor and the largest ski area in the
Northeastern United States.
Rathbun is currently visiting Bend and
is getting to know the staff and local
area. He says he looks forward to the
challenges and opportunities ahead for
Mt. Bachelor.
"I look at this as an opportunity to
take one of the West’s best pure
mountains for skiing and riding, with
phenomenal snowfall, snow quality, and
the two vibrant base camps of Bend and
Sunriver at its feet, and reestablish it
as a destination that both locals and
vacationers can be proud to visit,” Rathbun said in a recent press release.
POWDR Corp. Chief Operating Officer
Herwig Demschar says Rathbun’s
background in operations and
communications will help to reestablish
Mt. Bachelor’s “reputation both on the
mountain and in the community.” He also
said Rathburn’s skills are an ideal fit
to help the resort move forward in a
positive direction.
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Central Oregon
featured on New West Web site
Central Oregon’s
amenities were recently featured on New
West Network’s Web site. The article
entitled “Where to Hike, Bike, Fish, and
Drink In Central Oregon” highlighted
some of the best local spots within the
area.
Some of the hiking
areas included Shelvin Park, Tumalo
Creek, Pilot Butte, and Newberry Crater
Volcanic National Monument. The top pick
for biking was South Century Drive
outside of Sisters with a trek up to
Little Lava Lake.
And a trip to
Central Oregon wouldn’t be complete for
some without testing a line.
“Essentially, the word on fishing in
Central Oregon right now is that you’d
better enjoy the company of other
people, because they are going to be
there,” writes author Joseph Friedrichs.
Friedrichs touts
Bend as a great place for bars, taverns,
and pubs. Some favorites named include
McMenamins Whiskey Room, the lounge at
Greg’s Grill, and D & D Bar & Grill.
To learn more about
this article visit
www.newwest.net.
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Gas Prices
continue to rise, locals look for
options
It’s no secret the
price of gas continues to rise almost
daily with no ceiling in sight. Last
Friday, the price of crude reached a new
record high of over $139 a barrel.
Analysts and
investors are closely watching the
supply and demand for oil as well as the
strength of the dollar. If the dollar is
stronger, this causes oil to be more
expensive to foreign investors. Just
this week the dollar has gained some
strength, driving down the price of
crude oil, but not helping the pain at
the pump.
The current
national average is $4.066 for regular
unleaded. Oregon’s average is $4.219 for
regular unleaded. This is up $1.041 from
last year at this time.
According to AAA
Director of Public Affairs for Oregon
and Idaho Marie Dodds, there are several
tips drivers can use to help with fuel
efficiency.
“Everybody is interested in conserving
gas and becoming fuel efficient,” she
said. “First make sure if you are
driving, that your engine is tuned up;
this will help to burn less fuel.”
Dodds also suggests not hauling a lot
of extra items in your vehicle and
keeping tires property inflated. “If
your tire pressure is under, it’s a
safety hazard and can impact your
mileage,” she said. “Fuel economy can be
cut by 2 percent per pound of pressure
and that can really add up.”
A few other tips include the
following: consolidate trips and
errands, follow the speed limit and
travel a little more slowly, and watch
how you drive. Dodds says take it easy
on your accelerator because a heavy foot
can also impact fuel efficiency.
Many drivers are
looking for alternatives to driving,
including carpooling, walking, and
biking to work. Monday will mark the
start of Commute Options Week for
Central Oregon.
"With the rising cost of gas and the
arrival of spring weather, it's easier
than ever to give gas the boot," says
Chloe Honaker, Commute Options Week
organizer. "We're encouraging everyone
to bike, walk, ride the bus or carpool
during Commute Options Week. Just give
it a try, and see how much fun it is to
get out of your car and explore your
community."
On Monday, area residents can ride the
Bend Area Transit Authority buses all
day for free, compliments of the City of
Bend. At the June 4 City Council
meeting, Councilor Jim Clinton stated
cities who are “ahead of public transit
are ahead of the curve.” He encouraged
residents to use the bus system to help
their commutes.
Commute Options will host several events
throughout the week. For more
information go to
www.commuteoptions.org.
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Bend rated near
top of overvalued homes
According to a
recent real estate report by Global
Insight, an economic research firm, Bend
has the second most overvalued homes out
of 330 metro areas within the United
States.
Global Insight uses
a variety of factors to determine the
valuation of each area. This includes
median home price, household income, the
density of households, and mortgage
rates. According to Global Insight,
anything over 35 percent runs “a risk of
substantial price declines” of 10
percent or greater.
The report stated
Bend has 49.5 percent overvalued homes.
The median home price used for Bend was
$290,500.
Jim Diffley,
managing director of Global Insight,
recently told the Bulletin, “Bend
could be better positioned if it is
increasing its amenities, and becoming
more attractive to retirees and other
high-income professionals than it was in
the past. Those factors many not show up
yet in the survey.”
Other Oregon metro
areas were featured in the Global
Insights report as overvalued; they
include Portland, Eugene, Medford, and
Salem.
Locally, the current real estate is
viewed as a “Buyers’ Market.” With a
large amount of available housing
inventory (new and previously owned),
lower interest rates, and more
affordable pricing of homes, buyers are
reacting.
There is a plethora of choices for
home buyers and many local organizations
are banning together to promote “The
Best Buyers Market in 20 Years.” The
participating members include: the
Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA),
the Oregon Association of Mortgage
Professionals (OAMP), the Central Oregon
Association of Realtors (COAR) and the
Chambers of Commerce in Bend, Redmond,
La Pine, Crooked River Ranch, Sunriver,
Madras, Prineville, and Sisters.
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City of Bend-City Edition
For those who are
looking to get more information about
what’s going on within the City of Bend,
check out City Edition. This online news
magazine is generated by the city to
provide citizens with more information
on issues affecting them.
Some of the topics
include water rates, Juniper Ridge, the
Cooley/97 Interchange, sustainability,
and more. The videos range in time from
5 minutes to 10 minutes, and allow city
experts to explain the issues.
City Edition is
generated monthly by the city. You can
check out this news magazine online
anytime at
http://www.youtube.com/cityofbendoregon.
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Upcoming
Chamber
events
June 17: "HAD YOUR 15 MINUTES? Get 15
insider tips to get your name in the
headlines
"Newspapers,
radio, and television all disseminate
information, but each has its own focus.
You will get a brief overview, along
with the strengths and weaknesses that
each medium has when it comes to
reaching an audience. Also, learn some
great tips on what makes a story stand
out for local media as well as how to
give a good interview.
Join in the discussion with our
panelists Anna Johnson, Deschutes
County; Jerry Upham,
KOHD- TV ABC; Robert
Berman, Cascade Concrete Solutions; and
Kristi Miller, BendBroadband/Good Central Oregon. Please RSVP by
noon on Monday, June 16 at
www.bendchamber.org or
call 382-3221.
June 20:
Affordable Housing, where did the
problem start? Affordable Housing is
a problem affecting communities across
the nation. Bend has seen incredible
growth in the last 10 years. How does
affordable housing impact our workforce
and community? What causes the problem?
Why should we be concerned? Join in this
discussion with Randal O’Toole, author
of The Best Laid Plans. The CAC
Town Hall luncheons are held at
Touchmark at Mount Bachelor Village in
the Terrace Lodge Forum Theater from
noon to 1:30 p.m. To attend the CAC Town
Hall luncheon series, register online at
www.bendchamber.org or
call Lindi to reserve your spot at
382-3221.
Title Sponsor
June 23: Bend Chamber’s 2nd
Annual Team Challenge Golf Tournament-
Get your business known as a leader in
this competitive Team Challenge Golf
Tournament. Just one member of your team
needs to be an employee. Teams cost $600
per foursome. Sign up today at
www.bendchamber.org/teamgolf.
If you are interested in a sponsorship
or donation, contact Gayle at 382-3221
or by email at
gayle@bendchamber.org.
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