Eric Flowers

For years, the city of Bend staff has garnered accolades for its drinking water quality, its water conservation efforts and ecosystem restoration initiatives. But a much-publicized project to revamp the city's aging surface water delivery system has put all aspects of the city's water management strategy under the microscope. Critics are pushing the city to reconsider a recent decision to pursue a $73-million upgrade of its Bridge Creek surface system and say the city has underestimated the costs of continuing to divert millions of gallons per day from Tumalo Creek while ignoring the potential for a large-scale surface water restoration project in the basin by returning some or all of its surface water rights to Tumalo Creek. There, it would benefit fish and wildlife and help boost flows in the middle Deschutes River.

THE LAND PRESERVATION RUSH
This was the year that several landowners and would-be developers opted for preservation instead of planned unit developments, cashing in on soon-to-expire capital gains tax breaks in the process. They found willing buyers in Central Oregon where thousands of urban and rural acres were set aside for public use. Perhaps the most visible of the properties was the so-called Miller's Landing parcel, which was acquired by the Trust for Public Land in partnership with the Bend Metro Parks. The roughly six-acre property, which is located just downstream from the Colorado Avenue bridge, is one of the few remaining undeveloped parcels along the Deschutes. It wasn't the only blockbuster land deal for the park district, which also managed to acquire 122 acres of riverfront property between Archie Briggs Road and Tumalo State Park. Both properties became available after proposed development projects were stymied by the housing bust.

The campaign for Deschutes County district attorney officially ended in May when ex-prosecutor Patrick Flaherty defeated his former boss and longtime D.A. Mike Dugan. Seven months later, though, there are more questions than answers about how the district attorney's office, a vital piece of our local criminal justice system, will operate under Flaherty's leadership. With just a few weeks to go before the official transition, the county has yet to sign off on Flaherty's most important hire, a chief deputy to replace, Dugan's longtime right hand man Darryl Nakahira, whom Flaherty informed earlier this year that he would not be retaining past Dugan's term. Flaherty has already identified Portland area prosecutor Traci Anderson as his top choice for the post.

After two years of study, the Bend City Council was expected to make what is essentially a final decision on the future of the city's domestic water supply. Facing a looming deadline to meet new federal drinking water requirements, councilors were expected to approve a proposed $73 million upgrade to its Bridge Creek water system. The aging system currently delivers more than half of the city's drinking and domestic water, but is in need of significant repairs.

Bend dog owners who want more access to groomed ski trails will have a chance to share their perspective with the Forest Service and other winter trail users this week at an open house aimed at airing some of the access issues. While there are no official proposals on the table, off-leash proponents lead by Bend-based DogPAC have been pushing the Forest Service to ease restrictions north of the Cascade Lakes Highway in an area that has been off limit to dogs, unless by special permit, since the 1980s and is presently reserved for Nordic skiers.

Imagine the Flintstones without Fred, Smith without Wesson, Bo without Luke. And for anyone who has been around county government for the last ten years, Deschutes County without Dennis Luke. Just a few years ago it seemed like an unlikely proposition, but the senior statesman will preside over his last meeting sometime in December. With another run at office unlikely for the 64-year-old Luke, it could be the final chapter in his political career, which began almost 20 years ago and included three terms as an Oregon legislator and ten years as a Deschutes County commissioner.