Month: September 2012

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., announced Tuesday that Malheur Lumber has agreed to remain open past its planned November closure, thanks to a commitment by the Forest Service to make more timber volume available on the Malheur National Forest. In response to requests from the senators, Gov. John Kitzhaber, Grant County government, and

Oregon State Police are investigating a Saturday night disturbance outside of a Crescent restaurant/bar that left a Sunriver man with a non-life threatening neck wound and minor injuries to several others. No arrests have been made and OSP is asking for contact from any witnesses to help with the investigation. According to Trooper Nick Hagedorn,

The Pole Creek Fire burning south of Sisters grew to 4,300 acres Monday, as crews worked on the ground and by the air to try and stop it. “There was growth in almost every direction today, just with the winds that we’ve had,” said Jean Nelson-Dean, public information officer for the Deschutes National Forest. Several

A fire that reportedly began on the deck destroyed a southwest Bend home Monday afternoon, displacing a family of three, authorities said. The initial report around 4:25 p.m. was of a home’s deck on fire at 19600 Buck Canyon Road, but by the time crews arrived, they found the manufactured home well involved, said Bend

If the Bend Community Center closes on Friday as officials said it would, board members say there will be a lot of people going to bed hungry. Many people rely on the center for food, but it’s much more than that. It also provides on-the-job training, help with their electric bills and clothes. And board

Looking out toward the Three Sisters Sunday afternoon, from any direction, you couldn’t help but notice a huge smoke plume, visible for miles and filling the sky with thick, black smoke. Anyone who thought wildfire season was over quickly learned otherwise. “I knew it was a fire — I knew it was a fire right

Fire officials plan to hold a public meeting Monday evening in Sisters to give the public an opportunity to ask questions about and get the latest information on the Pole Creek Fire, southwest of Sisters. The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. at the Sisters Elementary School, 611 East Cascade Ave, in Sisters. It will

Bend’s Family Kitchen, which serves free meals, is hearing from people who think they are closing — but they are not part of Bend’s Community Center, and in fact are considering expanding food services to support those affected by BCC’s impending closure. “We were surprised and saddened by Bend’s Community Center’s decision to suspend operations,”

Redmond police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies shut down the Run to the Cascades Motorcycle Rally at the county fairgrounds Saturday evening after a large group from the Mongols motorcycle club arrived and threatened violence if members of the Hells Angels refused to leave immediately, police said. Officers entered the fairgrounds and watched as the

Two Bend men who decided to go for a run and climb up the Middle Sister Sunday morning almost became trapped by a fast-growing wildfire that broke out near where they had parked, and saw at least one car burning at the trailhead as they fled. Bend marathon runner Ian Sharman said he and friend

Bend’s Community Center Board President Bruce Abernethy announced Saturday that “due to financial uncertainties and other difficulties — pending an unforeseen benefactor or organization stepping forward — the center would cease operations as of Friday, September 14.” The rest of their announcement, in full: As part of this action, BCC has let go Executive Director

A 25-year-old Redmond man was killed early Sunday morning when his car left Highway 26 west of Madras and rolled several times, throwing him from the vehicle, Oregon State Police said. Damien Philip Plazola, 25, of Redmond died in the crash that occurred around 2 a.m. about six miles west of Madras, troopers said. According

A total of 343 firefighters died during the attacks on 9/11. On Saturday, the owner of Big Al’s Firehouse Grill wanted to honor them, as well as help future firefighters. Allan Edwards owns Big Al’s Firehouse Grill in Powell Butte. Edwards was a firefighter himself and personally knew one of the fallen firefighters. So he

It’s the place everyone in Central Oregon relies on in case of a major emergency, St. Charles Medical Center-Bend. For 2 1/2 months, the nurses have been working with an expired contract — and on Monday, they are headed to the picket lines, but not on strike. “The biggest sticking point for the nurses is

Little is known about ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, but volunteers and supporters want to change that with walks around the nation, to raise money for research. Hundreds took part in the Central Oregon Walk to Defeat ALS Saturday. About 40 teams walked around Riverbend Community Park to help raise money toward a statewide goal

A special side-scan sonar system resumed its search at Lake Billy Chinook Saturday afternoon but did not find the body of a Madras farmer who apparently drowned trying to save his fatally injured son after a boating accident on Thursday. Jefferson County Sheriff Jim Adkins said repairs to the partly severed electrical cord that attaches

Business owners are asking the city of Bend to reevaluate the rules governing the use of sandwich boards on private sidewalks, after businesses in the Old Mill Market Place were asked to take theirs down following an anonymous complaint. The issue was raised at Wednesday night’s Bend City Council meeting. Right now, you can have

Two of four Bend teen-age boys in a speeding car were injured, one seriously, when the car side-swiped a parked car and struck a home’s porch and tree Friday in northeast Bend, police said. The 16-year-old driver was cited on numerous charges, from reckless driving to no driver’s license. Police responded shortly before noon to

A total of 44 cows died late Thursday night after most were struck by five commercial trucks along Highway 97 about 14 miles north of Madras, Oregon State Police reported. Troopers investigating the collision said Friday that no drivers were injured. According to OSP Senior Trooper Clint Prevett, around 11:45 p.m. Thursday, a large group

There are two basic ways for a local government to view voter rejection of a money request – they don’t want the proposal, or they don’t want to pay more taxes for it. The latter view holds more water when other gauges of public sentiment, such as surveys, put the need for (public safety, for