Month: July 2012

Three and a half years ago, Tara Feurtado had her first child. When her son Kael was born, his daddy was in charge of capturing it — and boy, did he. “The only pictures we have are from the ‘coming out’ part, which are never fun to look at after the fact,” Feurtado said Thursday.

It’s a painful reality for thousands of family every year, distracted drives claims lives. Now, a federal website, distraction.gov is highlighting some of these stories, trying to convince you to put the phone down when behind the wheel. “In the center of the roadway is where the driver hit Calli and killed her instantly,” said

Central Oregon tourism has returned to pre-recession levels. That’s according to Alana Hughson, president of the Central Oregon Visitors Association, who believes that this year’s tourism boon will continue through at least the rest of the season. “We’ve had a good 48 months of fairly grim reports, and a fairly grim outlook for travel and

Thanks to security camera video and tips to NewsChannel 21’s Crime Stoppers program, two 16-year-old boys have been arrested in a destructive vandalism spree at Mountain View High School late last month, police said Thursday. One of the teens taken into custody last Sunday was a former student at the school, and both now attend

Have you wondered how your county tax dollars are spent? Do you know what services Deschutes County provides to you? For the third year, community members have an opportunity to enroll in Deschutes County College, a free and fun program aimed at educating the community about County government. Deschutes County is committed to engaging the

Today the La Pine Rural Fire Protection District Board on Thursday ratified a new three-year collective bargaining agreement with the International Association of Firefighters – La Pine Local 3387. The La Pine firefighters had previously ratified the agreement on July 9th. The La Pine Fire District and the firefighters have been in negotiation on a

Starting Monday, July 16 through the end of August, Forest Service Road 58 will be closed just west of the Sugar Creek campground for a culvert replacement project. The day use area of Sugar Creek campground can be accessed, however, there will be a detour in place to get to the Sugar Creek campground. The

The 2012 Crook County Fair is just around the corner! Scheduled for August 8th thru 11th, the fair is seeking crafters and artisans that make unique items to be sold to the general public. The fair is designed to represent the very best of Crook County and Central Oregon, so bring it on! Limited space

A day before the U.S. Forest Service announced its approval of Bend’s controversial $68 million water system upgrade, critics already were taking on the decision and saying an appeal is likely. Here are the two news releases — the Forest Service announcement and the critics’ — in full. For more on this long-running controversy, stay

Nashelle Jewelry is no stranger to the spotlight. “We’re currently getting great reviews from Brad Pitt,” said owner Heather Straw. “And our identity necklace has been seen on Kourtney Kardashian — there’s a long list, actually. It’s pretty exciting.” While seeing her jewelry on Hollywood starlets is a dream come true for Straw, her main

Five new businesses, ranging from a restaurant to a mortgage company, have opened up shop recently in downtown Bend, giving the area a big boost to the area and pushing occupancy up to 94 percent. “We feel that it really shows the longevity and sustainability of downtown and people wanting to be down here, operating

For every beer we drink, there is a tax factored in that breweries pay long before the suds even hit your lips. It’s not much for a single pint of beer, but by the barrel, it adds up fast for local breweries — money they say could instead go to hiring more workers. “It’s a

Three years ago, Bend resident Zeke Kamm decided that he wanted a camera jib, a system that acts as an arm for cameras and provides stable video and an appealing look. He had a problem though: Most of the jibs on the market were too expensive and wouldn’t be able to fit on a plane.

Meyer Memorial Trust announced Wednesday that its June awards included ones totaling more than $111,,000 to six tax-exempt organizations in Central Oregon. These awards were part of a total 65 grants for nearly $2.4 million to nonprofits in Oregon and Clark County, Washington. The majority of the grants – 45 in total – were made

Since 2002, Equine Outreach has been a safe haven for horses that would have otherwise gone to slaughter. “We have beautiful thoroughbreds, quarter horses, wild horses,” said founder Joan Steelhammer said Tuesday. But now, the horse rescue has too many horses, and a new addition of nearly 30 thoroughbreds from a neglect case in Powell

At 9:30 Wednesday morning, the Warm Springs Tribal Council certified the election, and a new school is on its way. The council asked a huge question to its members: Should the tribes seek a $10.7 million loan that they will have to pay back over years? The final vote: 816 yes to 240 no. It’s

Taking your dogs to the Deschutes River is just one of many ways to keep them cool as we reach the mid-summer here in Central Oregon when temperatures soar to the 90s or beyond. “No, the dog’s not the last thing on our brain — it’s definitely an important thing to think about. Obviously, you

The Bethlehem Inn, Central and Eastern Oregon’s only emergency shelter for individuals and families, announced Wednesday it has been awarded a $20,000 two-year grant from the Safeco Insurance Foundation as part of its Basic Services Initiatives. The Bethlehem Inn is one of 42 non-profits selected to receive this grant to help provide emergency assistance throughout

Bend fire investigators say a malfunctioning barbecue likely sparked a fire that tore through part of a northwest Bend four-plex along the Deschutes River early Wednesday morning, forcing sleeping residents to evacuate and causing about $400,000 in damage but no injuries. “I came out running out in my pajamas, and my boyfriend and I just

Rich Fellers has been attending the Oregon High Desert Classics for many years as a participant. The only difference this year is that Rich Fellers will be departing for London to compete in the Olympics directly after the Week I Grand Prix event on July 21 with his horse Flexible. Fellers, a Wilsonville resident whose