Good morning, this is your Bend Local Frequency for January 31, 2025. Let's dive into what's happening in our vibrant city.First off, let's look back at some of the highlights from 2024. The City of Bend had a remarkable year, with significant strides in affordable housing, water conservation, and public safety. One of the major achievements was securing a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to boost affordable housing production. This grant is crucial in addressing Bend's housing shortage, and data from 2024 shows that efforts are paying off, with rents stabilizing and over 1,300 multifamily housing units added to the local inventory[1].In the realm of water conservation, the City of Bend's Turf Rebate Program made a significant impact by encouraging residents to switch from turf landscapes to native or pollinator-friendly ones. This not only reduces water usage but also stretches water supplies and creates more resilient landscapes. The good news is that this program will return in spring 2025, and you can join the interest list by emailing [email protected][1].Moving on to public safety, the Midtown Crossings Improvement project has been making our east-west travel safer. The Greenwood Avenue Quickbuild, for instance, has transitioned a four-lane road section to three lanes with a dedicated center turn lane, which has been shown to decrease crashes by up to 30%. Additionally, protected bike lanes and improved crosswalks have been added. Look out for more major changes, including the Hawthorne Overcrossing, a pedestrian and cyclist bridge that will span Highway 97 and the railroad tracks, funded by state and federal grants[1].Now, let's talk about upcoming events in Bend. This weekend, on February 1, you can enjoy Flannel Fest Bend from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and the Bend Moonlight Market from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. For Valentine's Day, there's a 'Lady and the Tramp' Valentine’s Dinner on February 14, and if you're up for an adventure, Wanderlust Tours is offering a Crater Lake National Park Snowshoe Adventure on February 15[2][5].Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Oregon WinterFest from February 14-16, Central Oregon Winter PrideFest from March 6-9, and Subaru WinterFest 2025 from April 11-13. And for music lovers, the Bend Bands & Brewers Bash is coming up on June 28-29[5].In other news, Deschutes County is working on implementing a new state law that encourages law enforcement agencies to connect individuals caught with small amounts of drugs to treatment programs instead of criminal charges. Early numbers show promising results, and the county hopes to build on this progress[4].This has been Bend Local Frequency. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates.This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

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