Month: July 2012

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) — Police say two men claiming to be from a power company and the sheriff’s office tied an 83-year-old man to a chair at his house and robbed him at gunpoint. Sgt. Pat Downing of the Coos County Sheriff’s Office says one of the two suspects told Ray Lahaise he was

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — Smoke in the hills of the Rogue Valley and elsewhere in the Northwest can be blamed on more than 60 fires burning on Russia’s eastern coast. The Medford Mail Tribune reports ( http://bit.ly/Namvsl ) winds are pushing the smoke across the Pacific Ocean, where it had been hovering for several days.

A Roseburg doctor whose acrimonious departure from a medical marijuana clinic led to allegations from both sides has settled with the clinic for unpaid wages. The Roseburg News-Review reports ( http://bit.ly/MS8AeT ) Dr. Darryl George settled his suit against Alternative Medicine Outreach Program and its president, Donna Eide, minutes before a civil trial began. George

Two words sum up this story: beer and boobies. Yes, you read that right. The third annual Beer for Boobies event raises money for Sara’s Project, a local breast cancer support charity. The event took place Saturday at the Cross Creek Caf in downtown Redmond. The most exciting part of the event is the men’s

State Rep. Jason Conger, R-Bend, faces a challenger this November in Democrat Nathan Hovekamp. On Saturday, Hovekamp’s campaign spent time going door to door. Things started off with a general election canvassing kickoff at the Deschutes Democrats headquarters Saturday morning. A dozen volunteers gathered and then dispersed to neighborhoods. Hovekamp is a former COCC instructor

Brian Lemos was the principal of Lynch Elementary when it closed a major achievement gap. He was promoted to principal at Redmond High. Last July he was given a raise and in August a recommendation to be on a state teacher’s board. In October, he was fired. “Shay, under political pressure in my opinion, from

A Redmond woman escaped serious injury when she swerved to avoid a deer south of Prineville Friday night, causing her to over-correct and her pickup to leave the road, crash through a fence and roll several times, officials said. Hillary Ann Pearsall, 39, was not at the wreckage of her 2004 Dodge Dakota pickup when

Two Redmond residents have been arrested and a third is being sought in connection with thefts from at least 10 mostly unlocked cars and one car theft around Prineville earlier this week, police said Friday. The vehicles were illegally entered and items were stolen in various locations around town late Tuesday and early Wednesday, said

Mountain View Hospital announced Friday that their 5th Street Thrift Store will be operating in partnership with the Heart of Oregon Corps, beginning September 1. Heart of Oregon Corps provides employment-based programs that help address the needs of disconnected young adults in Central Oregon by providing them with opportunities to acquire job skills. Currently, Heart

A 29-year-old Madras man faces 37 years in prison after a jury convicted him this week of eight rape and sex abuse charges involving nine years of abuse involving a young girl, Jefferson County authorities said Friday. Juan Carlos Garcia was indicted May 30 on five charges, leading to his arrest the next day. He’s

According to the National Climatic Data Center, between June and August, about 70 to 85 percent of Central Oregon’s days are sunny. With the extra sunshine comes the added risk for skin damage. Kim Sanchez, a mother of three, spends much of her time under the sun during the summer. The threat of skin damage

While shaking hands with employees and checking out Murray and Holt Motors in Bend, Congressman Greg Walden’s appeared relaxed. But what the Republican was there to speak about was serious business. “We’ve got kind of a couple (different) front wars going on between regulations from Washington, that feel more like opposition than partnership,’ Walden said.

On Thursday,the Juniper Swim & Fitness Center aquatics staff and facility received a “four-Star” rating in a safety audit by Starfish Aquatics Institute or SAI, a third-party aquatic training and safety services organization. Scoring an overall four out of five possible “stars,” Juniper Swim & Fitness Center was found to meet or exceed industry standards

The City of Bend will be performing work on Butler Market Road from NE Boyd Acres Road to NE 8th Street on Monday. The work includes preparing utility boxes for the upcoming pavement overlay project scheduled later this summer. Two-way traffic will be maintained. Travelers should expect delays or use an alternate route. CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE

Redmond officials said Friday they have accepted the resignation of City Manager David Brandt, who is returning to his hometown of Cupertino, Calif., to become city manager there. Brandt, whose resignation is effective Aug. 30, has been Redmond’s city manager since 2009. “It’s with mixed emotion that I leave the city of Redmond,” Brandt said

Newport Avenue Market hosted the Finale Rude Rudy’s Golf Tournament on July 25 in support of the Hunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon. The event raised $53,200 (exceeding its fundraising goal of $50,000), which was given to the organization during the event. The event hosted over 120 golfers from the community and leaders from the

More renters across Central Oregon are looking into the prospect of giving up paying rent for paying a home mortgage. Many local financial and mortgage experts agree that in today’s market, it is very possible to get a mortgage that is less than monthly rent. “All things held constant, it’s better to be a buyer,”

The 23rd annual High Desert Classics horse show is under way in Bend, where athletes are gearing up for tough competition, while the proceeds support local teen outreach programs. Over 2,000 riders, owners, and trainers descend upon Bend’s J Bar J Boys Ranch for the horse show every summer. “It’s just a very friendly place,

After several bargaining sessions and no agreement on a union contract, many St. Charles Medical Center caregivers made their voices heard in an informational picket line Wednesday. St. Charles officials declined to go on camera Wednesday but said the timing of the picketing was unfortunate, since the negotiations are continuing. “You can’t do it without

National reports show gun sales are surging in the wake of the Colorado tragedy, especially in parts of that state. But in Central Oregon, apparently, things are different. Gun store owners NewsChannel 21 talked with Wednesday didn’t want to go on camera. But they told us they haven’t seen an increase in gun sales locally,