BLOOD SHORTAGE: American Red Cross urges blood donations

Kelsey Merison

(UPDATE: Adding Video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — It’s National Blood Donor Month, and right now, the American Red Cross says there’s an urgent need for donations.

According to the organization, about 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone, and requests from hospitals have exceeded the available supply of blood–leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month.

There are several opportunities across Central Oregon for you to help out now through February 3rd. Those who donate between now and January 25th will be entered to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX. Then, from January 26th to February 28th, those who donate will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice.

Here’s when and where you can donate in Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson counties through February 3rd:

-DESCHUTES COUNTY

BEND:

Bend Blood Donation Center, 815 SW Bond Street Suite 110 – Visit RedCrossBlood.org to see times.

1/20/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., State & County Offices, 1300 NW Wall Street

1/21/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Central OR Community College Campus Center, 2600 NW College Way

1/23/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Break Room Building, 1055 NW Newport Ave

1/26/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., City of Bend Police Department, 555 NE 15th St

1/27/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Foundry Church, 60 NW Oregon Ave

1/28/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road

1/29/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community House, 2558 NE Daggett Ln

REDMOND:

1/23/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Redmond Senior Center, 325 NW Dogwood Ave

1/26/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Redmond Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave

1/29/2026: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Redmond Fire & Rescue Station 401, 341 NW Dogwood Ave

SUNRIVER:

2/2/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Community Bible Church, 1 Theater Drive

-CROOK COUNTY

PRINEVILLE:

1/30/2026: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Juniper Canyon Baptist Church, 9180 SE Juniper Canyon Rd.

-JEFFERSON COUNTY

TERREBONNE:

1/21/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Fire & Rescue, 6971 Shad Rd

Click here to book a donation appointment.

Below is the full press release from the American Red Cross:

“The American Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage as requests from hospitals exceed the available supply of blood, leading to about a 35% drawdown of blood products in the past month. Individuals are urged to give now so patients don’t face delays in lifesaving care. The shortage is especially serious for platelets, types O, A negative and B negative blood.

High flu activity in nearly every state may be sidelining donors, slowing efforts to rebuild the Red Cross national blood supply. At the same time, hospitals already feeling the strain of the worst flu season in nearly 20 years are now also forced to triage critical blood products. Without immediate action, patients who count on transfusions — including trauma victims, mothers in childbirth and people with sickle cell disease or cancer — face serious risk. 

There’s no time to wait — book an appointment to give blood or platelets now by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

As a thank-you to donors for helping tackle the blood shortage, those who come to give through Jan. 25, 2026, will be automatically entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LX in the San Francisco Bay Area. The winner and guest will receive two tickets to Super Bowl LX, access to day-of, in-stadium pregame activities, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip airfare, three-night hotel accommodations (Feb. 6-9, 2026), plus a $1,000 gift card for expenses. See RedCrossBlood.org/SuperBowl for details.

All who come to give Jan. 26-Feb. 28, 2026, will receive a $20 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. See RedCrossBlood.org/Heart for details.

Weather disrupts vital donations

About 400 blood drives were impacted due to extreme winter weather last month alone — more than three times the number of blood drives impacted during the same time the previous year. As a result, thousands of blood donations have gone uncollected. With intense winter weather and freezing temperatures expected across much of the country in the coming weeks, more blood drives could potentially be delayed or canceled at a time when every unit of blood could be the difference for doctors facing difficult choices about which patients receive blood transfusions and who will need to wait.

“Winter always puts pressure on the blood supply, and this year widespread flu and rough weather are making it even tougher,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Red Cross donor services. “If you’re able, now’s a great time to make and keep blood donation appointments, during National Blood Donor Month. Every donation can be a lifeline for a patient who isn’t able to hold off on critical care.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 20-Feb. 3: 

Crook:

Prineville

-1/30/2026: 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Juniper Canyon Baptist Church, 9180 SE Juniper Canyon Rd.

Deschutes:

Bend

Bend Blood Donation Center, 815 SW Bond Street Suite 110 – Visit RedCrossBlood.org to see times.

-1/20/2026: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., State & County Offices, 1300 NW Wall Street

-1/21/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Central OR Community College Campus Center, 2600 NW College Way

-1/23/2026: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Break Room Building, 1055 NW Newport Ave

-1/26/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., City of Bend Police Department, 555 NE 15th St

-1/27/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Foundry Church, 60 NW Oregon Ave

-1/28/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon, 61980 Skyline Ranch Road

-1/29/2026: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Community House, 2558 NE Daggett Ln

Redmond

-1/23/2026: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Redmond Senior Center, 325 NW Dogwood Ave

-1/26/2026: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Redmond Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave

-1/29/2026: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Redmond Fire & Rescue Station 401, 341 NW Dogwood Ave

Sunriver

-2/2/2026: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Community Bible Church, 1 Theater Drive

Jefferson:

Terrebonne

-1/21/2026: 12:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., Fire & Rescue, 6971 Shad Rd

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.”

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Volunteers lend a hand at Stirrup Purpose equine therapy in Bend 

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Volunteers rolled up their sleeves Monday at Stirrup Purpose, an equine therapy nonprofit, on the east side of Bend known for using horses to help people heal — physically and emotionally. 

The ranch offers equine-assisted therapy to people of all ages, providing mental wellness support through human-animal connection. Riding and working with horses can also benefit balance, strength, and motor skills for those undergoing physical rehabilitation. 

As part of a regional “Day of Service” event, volunteers spent the day painting posts and completing maintenance projects around the property. Executive Director Penny Campbell said the organization relies heavily on volunteer support to keep things running smoothly. 

“Volunteers are in every part of what we do,” Campbell said. “They sidewalk with the horse, they handle the horse, and they help with facility maintenance and events. So volunteers are incredibly important to Stirrup Purpose.” 

Many of Monday’s volunteers came from Heart of Oregon Corps, a local program that provides young adults with job training, education, and career pathways. 

Connect Central Oregon also played a key role — coordinating volunteers and connecting them with local nonprofits taking part in the Day of Service. 

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It’s National Passenger Safety Week: Speaking up can help save lives on Central Oregon roads

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The phrase “backseat driver” usually gets a bad rap — but safety advocates are giving it a new, potentially life-saving meaning this week.

The National Road Safety Foundation is leading National Passenger Safety Week, January 19th-26th, aiming to empower passengers to speak up when they notice unsafe driving behavior such as speeding or distractions behind the wheel.

“What the driver can’t see, the passenger can see,” Michelle Anderson, director of operations for the NRSF, told KTVZ News. “We need to empower passengers, because this may be the very thing to help lower the deaths that are on our roadways.”

Crash fatalities remain a growing concern nationwide, including here, where 539 people lost their lives on Oregon’s roads in 2024. Teen drivers are among those most at risk: Drivers ages 16-19 are nearly three times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than adults.

“Teen drivers are inexperienced, yet they are behind the wheel,” Anderson said. “They often allow more than one other passenger in their vehicle — they (passengers) also have the right to say something.”

Still, speaking up isn’t always easy, especially when the driver is a friend. That’s why the NRSF offers suggestions to help passengers find their voice in uncomfortable moments.

You might tell the driver you’re not feeling well and ask to pull over, or casually mention you heard police are in the area — anything that diffuses the situation before it turns dangerous.

“You may be a passenger, but you have power,” Anderson said. “You have authority, and you have to utilize it. It can certainly help save the lives of those in the vehicle, as well as the driver.”

Organizers hope National Passenger Safety Week sparks conversations beyond the campaign — starting at home, with friends, and long before anyone gets behind the wheel.

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UPDATE: Most Bend, Deschutes County leaders back six-month extension of Juniper Ridge ‘safe stay area’

Barney Lerten

(UPDATE: Adding video and quote from Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A majority of Bend and Deschutes County leaders agreed at a joint meeting Tuesday to extend the Juniper Ridge Temporary Safe Stay Area six more months, to mid-2027. But there was reluctance and some opposition from both elected boards amid an end to federal funding and a desire to fully close the area to homeless campsites as soon as possible. 

The staff presentation KTVZ News reported on earlier (see below) brought some questions for clarity from city councilors and county commissioners during the joint meeting, which somewhat ironically took place at the city’s new Public Works Campus – located at Juniper Ridge. 

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler said earlier council discussions on what to do next found general support for the six-month extension, in part to not force large numbers of people to move in the middle of winter, then “starting the process all over again.” 

Mayor Kebler told KTVZ News, “I’m really grateful that we had Commissioner Chang and Commissioner Adair agree that we want to look at extending by about another six months, to avoid some of the pitfalls of maybe displacing people in the middle of winter, but also to take a look at how we can really kind of, get people moved into housing.” 

The closure of two northern sections by this June also will mean anyone who stays will be in a more concentrated area of 75 acres. Staff said that should make case management, safety and efforts to find more people new places to live will be somewhat easier. 

County Commissioner Patti Adair drew general support when she asked about putting a lid on any new residents or campsites, so they can say, “we are full.” 

Adair also noted there was another trailer fire a few days ago in the area. Staff said any such negligence is grounds for removal, as was an arson fire last year. 

But fellow Commissioner Tony DeBone pointed to the still-standing code enforcement case in the area. He repeatedly noted that with federal dollars running out, future expenses – such as the county’s half of the estimated $550,000 for a six-month extension – would have to come from the general fund, at a time when costs are rising. 

“If somebody has an idea where these dollars come from,” that would be different, DeBone said – but as it stands, “I’m not going to be supportive” of an extension. 

“If we do extend this six months, where are we going to be then? What’s the vision?” he asked. 

“The real solution,” DeBone said, is “leadership out of the governor’s office, from state legislators.” 

While city Councilor Mike Riley said an extension would “give us more time to work with the governor,” fellow Councilor Gina Franzosa said she couldn’t support the extension, going so far as to call the current situation a “dereliction of what we were elected to do.” 

Kebler agreed – to a point.  

“We’re not saying this is the best way to do it. It’s the best option we have right now,” she said, as opposed to a year’s-end closure that would raise more fire concerns, with “people going further into the forests.” 

Commissioner Phil Chang agreed that progress has to come on where those who must move can go safely. 

Adair also said that only 35 people moving to new, safer locations in recent months is too low, with close to 200 people still living there: “We need to do at least 50 (leaving) in the next six months. We need to hear that we’re making greater progress.” 

City Senior Program Manager Amy Fraley said there are some “creative ways to bring down costs” for more needed permanent supportive housing. 

City Manager Eric King said councilors will discuss the financial strategy at a February 25th work session, possibly including, ironically, some one-time proceeds from recent property sales at Juniper Ridge.  

Earlier story:

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ-Jan. 19) — Bend and Deschutes County leaders return to a familiar and tricky topic at their joint meeting on Tuesday: whether to close the Juniper Ridge “Temporary Safe Stay Area” as planned, at the end of this year – and if they do, how they could provide enough safe places for them to go next.

City and county staff will lay out the options and costs, much as they did at their last joint meeting in late September. (You can see the full new presentation below).

As of Jan. 9, officials say nearly 200 people were living in 150 camps in the safe stay area, part of the undeveloped area at Bend’s north end that some refer to as “Dirt World.”

There has been progress on options such as shelters and safe parking sites, but most are full or nearly so, the report says. And fewer than 50 new beds or spaces are in the works for this year, including a 35-space Redmond campground expected by late spring.

The TSSA, a mix of city- and county-owned land, has been divided into four sections.

Unless things change, those living in sections 1 and 2 will get notice in March that they must move by June. But they will be allowed to move to the two southern areas, for now.

People staying in sections 3 and 4 will get a similar notice in September, with a full closure of the TSSA by November, to meet the year-end deadline set earlier.

The staff update also revisits efforts to get the more troublesome people living at Juniper Ridge to follow the rules. Nearly 50 have been told since last July they might have to move for breaking those rules, and 10 have been issued notices to leave for non-compliance with the proposed remedies.

The TSSA is costing the city and county nearly $850,000 to operate, from water, toilets and dumpsters to security, trash cleanup and other costs, officials say.

Meanwhile, several organizations, from NeighborImpact to Shepherd’s House Ministries, have received a share of $1.2 million in grants for case management work at the TSSA.

The staff presentation also breaks down the millions it costs for new shelter beds, and lesser costs for Safe Parking spots or outdoor shelters, including the Central Oregon Villages site that will be moving to city-owned land this year. For example, a new campground for 70 people, if land can be secured, would cost about $1 million to set up and operate in its first year.

If the TSSA were to continue, it would cost about $1.1 million a year, based on what’s been spent so far – much less costly than new shelter beds, though the goal all along has been to transition the people at Juniper Ridge to safer, long-term housing.

Another telling breakdown is anecdotal – that 25% each might qualify for permanent supportive housing, be interested in safe parking, interested in a “non-congreate” shelter beds or would like to stay in a managed camp.

But providing all four options, at 50 beds or spaces each, is estimated to cost nearly $28 million.

City and county staff also are warning of “funding cliffs on the horizon,”” such as American Rescue Plan Act dollars that expire at the end of 2026, not to. mention a projected $1.7 million deficit in the current biennium for city-backed shelter services.

So the key up-front question, as it was last fall, is whether to hold to the end-of-2026 closure of the Temporary Safe Stay Area or extend it for six months, at an estimated cost of $550,000.

The meeting begins at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the city’s new Public Works Campus on NE Talus Place, will be livestreamed and has other agenda items to tackle. You can find more details here: https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/city-council/city-council-meeting-agendas-video.

Heres the full staff update on Juniper Ridge:

TSSA Options Joint Meeting 20260120Download

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Overhaul of Oregon’s school funding formula, public education goals has lawmakers at odds

Oregon Capital Chronicle

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle

SALEM, Ore. — There’s an ambitious effort underway at the Capitol to overhaul how the state determines funding levels for schools, but lawmakers are torn over the timing and larger questions about the goals of Oregon’s public education system.

Sen. Janeen Sollman, D-Hillsboro, and Rep. Ricki Ruiz, D-Gresham, co-chairs of the six-member Joint Public Education Appropriation Committee, are spearheading the overhaul of Oregon’s school funding process, including what schools must demonstrate to receive funding.

On Thursday, the two shared with the committee a proposal that would entirely do away with Oregon’s 27-year-old Quality Education Model, the 11-member Quality Education Commission that produces recommended school funding levels every two years, and the education appropriation committee the two lawmakers lead. Lawmakers would have one month to debate and pass the bill that has generational impact during the legislative session beginning Feb. 2.

“I think the job of our committee is really to dig in and do a lot of this work and look at the issues,” Sollman explained, adding that Oregon’s system is outdated and that “no other state has a QEM-type model.”

Since 1999, the Quality Education Commission, staffed by the Oregon Department of Education, has researched best practices and determined how much money is needed for a successful public education system, with the main target of reaching a 90% statewide graduation rate. The commission gives its findings, presented as the Quality Education Model, to the education appropriation committee and governor every two years to guide budget decisions.

Notably, in the history of the model and commission, the Legislature has only fully funded schools to the recommended level once, when they passed in 2025 a record $11.4 billion for schools during the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years.

Under Sollman’s and Ruiz’s bill, the task of researching and determining how much money schools need would instead go to the Legislative Policy and Research Office, which would contract and work with a public or private firm that undertakes school finance analysis. As part of the analysis, researchers would have to hold panels with educators across the state about school needs.

The policy and research office would then present recommendations for school funding levels to the Legislature’s budget-writing Joint Ways and Means Committee every eight years. During intervening two-year budget cycles, the Department of Administrative Services would adjust the recommended spending levels to account for inflation and other costs.

Split over standards

The bill would also modify what the state’s “quality goals for public education” are, Sollman and Ruiz explained to lawmakers. It would define a “standard school district,” able to receive state and federal funding, as one where all teachers are licensed.

Schools would be expected not just to meet a 90% graduation rate but to hit goals and standards established in a 2024 education accountability law. That law requires  school districts to set goals with the Oregon Department of Education for improving third grade reading scores, eighth grade math scores, ninth grade on-track rates, four- and five-year graduation rates, and regular attendance rates.

But lawmakers said the state education department is still working out some of the goals and standards discussed in the education accountability bill and how they’ll be reported.

Rep. Emily McIntire, R-Eagle Point, said schools have been begging lawmakers to stop passing legislative changes that cost them more time and money in reporting.

“I think that our schools are saying, ‘please stop. Please leave us alone. Please don’t do anything else. Please halt.’ And this, to me, is such a ginormous change, especially when we don’t have the overhaul of (the 2024 law) done yet,” she said. “It feels like one of these things that we’re going to do, and then we’re going to find out what actually is required.”

Rep. Susan McLain, D-Forest Grove and a 40-year teacher who has played a large role in state education policy in the Legislature, told her colleagues on the committee that “there’s a lot in this bill that shocked me.”

The group had been discussing for years doing away with the old school funding model and the commission in charge of it, she said, but she was not prepared to completely change what schools have to demonstrate in order to receive funding.

“This bill is not just about doing away with the quality education model, or doing away with the appropriation committee. It also has to do with responsibilities for other parts of our system, and it has standards for other parts of our system,” she said.

Ruiz said enforcing more nuanced targets and standards that schools need to demonstrate in receiving funding would bring greater public trust in the schools and in the Legislature’s ability to ensure schools are improving and meeting the Legislature’s expectations.

“I’m just sick and tired that we put so much money into the education system and we’re seeing little to no progress,” Ruiz said.

The committee ultimately agreed to advance the bill and debate it during the legislative session.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been in a committee where I’ve had to say: ‘OK, I’m going to give a courtesy yes,’ and think, ‘Oh my gosh, what would happen if it passed?’ And that’s where I’m at,” McLain said.

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Voters react as Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Janelle Bynum hold townhall in Sisters

Spencer Sacks

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — For over an hour and a half, Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Janelle Bynum took questions from members of the community on Saturday.

They were answering questions on both foreign and domestic policy.

Both Sen. Wyden and Rep. Bynum took about 12 questions together, giving insight into how they voted on recent issues and what they think about current events.

The gymnasium was packed with residents from all across Deschutes County hoping to get their questions answered.

So I asked a few of them what they are hoping to hear about.

Randy Jones, a resident of Bend, told KTVZ News, “When will we see a step by achievable step of a plan that’s going to reverse the depredation, cruelty, and destruction of our system of compassionate governance?”

“Hopefully, we get some answers about trying to get rid of this clown that’s leading us astray,” Gary Mason, a resident of Sisters, told KTVZ News.

We are now about 10 months away from the midterm elections.

While legislators in Washington focus on issues such as what is happening in Iran, I asked potential voters what they are following as we get closer to the upcoming elections.

Bend Resident Robin Werdal told KTVZ News, “The total violence that is being perpetrated on citizens and immigrants in this country by ICE.”

“I think we need to overturn the Congress in the House and hopefully the Senate,” Sisters Resident Rob Phelps told KTVZ News. “Who’s going to pay for it? Purse strings are controlled by the House of Representatives.”

You can follow our election coverage at ktvz.com/elections and the ktvz app.

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Bend’s Powder House is expanding by building new entertainment venue

Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Powder House, a long-time Bend business, is expanding – establishing a new venue called “Base Camp.”

The 8,000-square-foot space will feature outdoor seating with fire pits, 36 taps, handcrafted cocktails and live music.

The owners of Powder House, Todd McGee and his wife, have operated the establishment for nearly 25 years and have always aimed to develop their back lot.

The new venue, designed to create a relaxing atmosphere for customers, is set to enhance food options on the West Side.

The Base Camp project will include multiple amenities such as an 18-foot projection screen, allowing for various entertainment options and live music performances. Todd expressed enthusiasm about the unique offerings, stating, “So my wife and I are very, very excited about this. The customers coming in the Powderhouse can’t wait for this to happen.”

According to McGee, the development is part of their ongoing commitment to providing a distinctive experience. “They’re excited for new food options on the West Side and being able to, especially in a relaxing, fun atmosphere,” he said.

Construction for the Base Camp venue is scheduled to finish by late April or early May, indicating that the new gathering space could be ready for customers shortly after that.

Once completed, customers can expect a vibrant space that not only focuses on drinks and food but also supports live performances and social gatherings, enhancing the community space in Bend.

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ONE on ONE: Senator Ron Wyden stops by the KTVZ Studios

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden is in Central Oregon this week, speaking at town halls in Madras and Sisters. While he is in town, he stopped by the KTVZ News studios.

We discussed a wide variety of topics, from ICE to wildfires.

During the conversation, I asked him about rural schools’ funding.

The question was, “One of the big things that just passed is the Secure Rural Schools Act Authorization of 2025. Can you talk a little bit about how that helps this district?”

Senator Wyden responded, “The fact is, this program is a lifeline for Oregon. You know, The Federal Government owns most of our land. So the law that I wrote was a number of years ago. It helps with roads, helps with schools, and helps with law enforcement, and it’s a huge shot in the arm. Oregon’s share of this law has been $3.6 billion over the years. It’s arguably the biggest authorization we’ve had in the state.”

If you would like to attend his town hall, he will be in Sisters on Saturday with Representative Janelle Bynum.

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Pet Pals: Theodore, 1 of 3 dachshunds looking for a new home

Triton Notary

Theodore the dachshund was in the KTVZ studio today for Pet Pals. Other than being incredibly adorable, he is shy, sweet and loving. Lynne, Director of community partnerships for HSCO, says he and his litter are warm and bubbly once they get to know you. Apparently, Theodore is also a talented racer! If you want to adopt Theodore and his litter, just go to the Humane Society of Central Oregon.

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La Pine rallies around child needing heart transplant

Tyson Beauchemin

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The community of La Pine is coming together around a child and family in need of support – and a heart.

Braxton Twyman was diaonosed with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) shortly after he was born 14 months ago.

As a newborn, Braxton underwent a series of surgeries. Even though he survived, complications from his heart disease are preventing him from having further necessary surgeries.

Simply put: Braxton needs a new heart.

But finding an available and suitable heart for a young child can be difficult. The family has been burdened with additional expenses, like travel and lodging, while moving Braxton between various medical organizations.

Despite all of that, Braxton is growing into an energetic and happy child. When KTVZ News met with the Twyman family in La Pine, Braxton was playful and curious, despite being a little late for a nap. 

“He is the happiest baby you’ll ever meet,” Braxton’s mother, Destinee Twyman told us. “Other than when he’s grumpy, because he needs a nap, but it’s every kid. He is obsessed with his dad right now. Everything is about Dad. He loves to swing. He loves being outside. Honestly, he just loves being a kid, outside of the hospital.”

Braxton’s energy and willingness to fight has inspiried the community of La Pine. Many local businesses have banded together to have a day to raise funds for the Twyman family.

There’s four events happening around Central Oregon, and all benefit Braxton in one way ore another.

This Sunday at 11 a.m., theres going to be a car show and poker event at General Duffy’s in Redmond.

Sunriver Brewery and Rosland Coffee House are donating $1 to Braxton’s family for every item sold.

Lastly, Legend Cider Company in La Pine is holding a big event, with a items raffled off.

You can learn more about Braxton at this Facebook page: “Braxton Twyman’s HLHS Journey”.

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