Month: January 2013

Working together to provide nutritious food forthe hungry is its only mission! Last week, theHunger Prevention Coalition of Central Oregon(“HPC”)proudly disbursed another $13,500to local partner agencies who serve thousandsofmeals and donate food boxes toneedy families, elderly, disabled, homeless andunemployed Central Oregonians. During the 2012fHPCgave over $80,000 to itslocalpartner agencies.Since itsinception in 2002, the”Help Fill EmptyPlates”program

What kind of housing would you like to see in downtown Redmond? The city of Redmond has posted to its website a survey seeking resident’s opinions about what kind of housing they would like to see downtown and in surrounding areas. The survey is being conducted as part a larger Center City Housing Study project.

To further strengthen Central Oregon’s food security, Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) is providing grants up to $2,000 to existing public community gardens throughout Central Oregon. Grant applications are available beginning February 1, 2013 and due March 5, 2013. Grants are available at http://coic2.org/community-development/food-systems/ or contact Katrina Van Dis kvandis@coic.org for an application. This opportunity

January marks the 25th anniversary of the Bend-based Oregon Natural Desert Association. Today, ONDA has 4,000 supporters and is unique in the conservation community for its focus on the High Desert country and wildlife in Central and Eastern Oregon. At first, it was a handful of people who answered a newspaper ad to form a

Strong words from President Obama Tuesday as the U.S. looks to reform immigration law. “I’m here today because the time has come for common sense, comprehensive immigration reform. The time is now,” said President Obama. The latest try at reform could be the closest thing yet to a bipartisan effort on the contentious issue. Many

The U.S. Department of Education just declared that disabled students must be given opportunities to play on school sports teams or have their own leagues, and a Bend group on Tuesday called that a welcome step forward for youths with special challenges. It is part of a law that was actually passed in 1973, the

Oregon State University said Tuesday it is forming a consortium with industry, academia and government to develop a new era of unmanned aerial systems for remote sensing, to perform tasks that range from environmental monitoring to fighting forest fires, protecting crops or aiding law enforcement. OSU and its partners will coordinate closely with the Oregon

In just five days, the 2013 Oregon legislative session gets under way in Salem. This year, more than $21 million was contributed to help get candidates elected. In fact, two Central Oregon legislators were among the top 15 in money raised. The National Institute on Money in State Politics put together a website, Follow The

Even before he came into view at his first court appearance Tuesday, Larry Loeffler’s health problems were apparent. “Can No. 12 on our list that we provided to you (be called up first)? He’s on a limited battery supply for his oxygen,” said a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy. Another deputy cleared the way for the

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., on Tuesday introduced the Stopping Abuse and Fraud in Electronic (SAFE) Lending Act, the second bill introduction in a week-long effort to highlight the need to protect consumers. The SAFE Lending Act would crack down on the worst practices of the online payday lending industry and give states more power to

An 86-year-old La Pine-area man appeared in court Tuesday afternoon on a murder charge, one day after he allegedly shot and killed his 83-year-old wife. Lawrence Hubert Loeffler called police to their Old Mill Road home Monday morning, saying his wife of 39 years was dead, officials said. An autopsy is planned Wednesday to confirm

On the night they were killed, a Warm Springs couple in their 20s was trying to outrun a Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy. The car was packed with three adults, two young children and a car stereo speaker they reportedly stole from Sounds Unlimited in Madras. The deputy stopped the car shortly after the shop’s alarm

The Old Mill District announced Tuesday that local companies Vanilla Urban Threads and Nashelle and national retailers Gymboree and Francesca’s Collection have plans to open or expand into the Bend, Oregon shopping center. Locally owned clothing store Vanilla Urban Threads, which originally opened in the Old Mill District seven years ago, is expanding into a

Oregon State Police arrested a commercial truck driver late Monday night, more than two hours after a minor-injury hit-and-run crash on slick, snowy Highway 20 near Santiam Pass. Around 9:20 p.m., a semi truck was heading west in Highway 20 near milepost 78 (the Hogg Rock area) when the semi-trailer, which didn’t have required chains,

The Redmond School District board of directors has appointed Patricia Reck of Redmond, Ore. Reck fills the vacancy of Jim Erickson, whose term was scheduled to end on June 30, 2013. A retired teacher, Reck has worked in public and parochial education for more than 27 years. She has taught in classrooms in Brothers, La

The City of Bend is seeking applicants for positions on the following volunteer committees: Traffic Safety Advisory Committee (TSAC) – 2 openingsMembers are appointed to recommend traffic safety improvements and traffic safety programs. Affordable Housing Advisory Committee – 2 openingsApplicants are needed from representatives of local lending institutions as well as residents of affordable housing.

Central Oregon hotel operators said at a private meeting Monday they didn’t want a room-tax hike, causing the proponents, Visit Bend, to back down and table a proposal that was headed to the city council later in the week. Visit Bend had planned on formally proposing a 2 percent tax increase on the city’s transient

Once again, thousands of Oregonians join millions across the country planning to gather and watch America’s most popular sporting event, the Super Bowl, on Sunday. Joining those who are making their plans, law enforcement and traffic safety partners are also planning and urging everyone not to let drunk driving ruin your plans. The U.S. Department

The Deschutes National Forest plans to release a decision Tuesday outlining its plans on a vegetation management project for a 40,000-acre area of the Crescent Ranger District. Two goals for the project are to provide for a representative diversity of wildlife habitats and forest stand structures on the landscape and to provide timber and other

The seventh annual South County Girl’s Summit promises a day of free fun and exciting activities for young women in Middle School through High School on Monday, March 25. The goal of the event is to empower young women in South County with activities that are positive in nature, healthy, and are easily available in