Crews Dismantle Historic AJ Tucker Building
Crews began dismantling and cataloging the blocks of the front of the historic AJ Tucker building in downtown Bend on Feb. 19. While the stone from the front facade is going to be stored for potential future reconstruction, the remainder of the building will be demolished.
The dismantling, which is expected to continue through March, was sought out by the County to accommodate the expansion of the Deschutes County Courthouse. The courthouse expansion project is expected to begin later this spring and continue through the fall of 2025. While construction is occurring on the building, adjacent sidewalks and one crosswalk will be closed.
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Pacific Power Seeks to Raise Rates
On Feb. 15, Pacific Power announced it filed a general rate case and a Transition Adjustment Mechanism update with the Oregon Public Utility Commission. The combined requests would result in a 16.9% rate adjustment. This increase would be in addition to a 12.9% increase in rates in January.
According to a press release, the increase would support continued investments in wildfire risk management strategies, transmission infrastructure and renewable generation projects. With the increase, the average residential customers with typical energy usage would see an increase of about $29.47 per month.
“While our essential operating costs remain low, extreme weather events and increased wildfire risks are impacting all households and businesses, raising the costs of providing our essential services,” said Matt McVee vice president of regulatory policy and operations.
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Uber Driver Arrested for Kidnapping
Bend Police arrested an Uber driver on suspicion of kidnapping on Tue., Feb 13. A Bend woman reported that she used the Uber app to order a ride to her home, about 5 minutes away from the pickup location.
The 48-year-old Uber driver, later identified as Rocky Heath, picked the woman up at about 6:26pm. At 6:29pm, Heath canceled the ride and drove her around for 25 to 30 minutes, despite her requests to take her to her home. According to a press release, he dropped the woman off after a half hour.
Later that night, officers conducted a traffic stop where they arrested Heath and took him to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of second-degree kidnapping and second-degree disorderly conduct. Officers reported the allegations to Uber.
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5 MILLION CUBIC YARDS
— The amount of sediment expected to flow down the Klamath River due to removal of four dams. From this week’s Feature, “Winter at the Largest Dam Removal Project in History.”
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“…Whether it be people of color, young people or working-class people, they simply don’t feel like they are receiving as much representation as they could in a different system.”
— Sol Mora, political director with Oregon Ranked-Choice Voting Advocates, from this week’s News story, “A Push to Establish Statewide Ranked-Choice Voting.”
This article appears in Source Weekly February 22, 2024.
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Another significant rate hike immediately following an equally significant one is f-ing criminal. Without a doubt, this is going to cover their litigation liabilities. So we’re on the hook twice — once for Pacific Power’s mismanagement during red flag events, and now to pay for wildfire prevention infrastructure their profit margins should be funding, and which should have been projected/amortized over several years. But I imagine another rubber stamp approval is underway because…well, Oregon gonna’ Oregon.
Government and corporations doing what they do. Screwing us blind, knowing there is nothing we can or will do about it.
Lets review. Company’s capital is being wiped out by fire liability that it never faced before, so had no insurance or financial reserve to cover. Demand for power is rising due to increased electric vehicles and growing population. Supply of hydro power is falling from removal of Klamath river dams. Need to spend to build new solar and wind generation. Borrowing costs are up a lot. Construction costs are up a lot Newly recognized fire liability creates new expenses for vegetation removal, line separation to prevent sparks (see photo) etc. But, nobody wants a rate increase to pay for all this. Oregon is being Oregon. BTW: I don’t have a connection to Pacific Power