Month: February 2013

Dozens of Central Oregonians concerned about climate change rang bells and held up signs along the streets of downtown Bend on Sunday. The march coincided with a national rally in Washington D.C. and other similar events around the country. The citizens in Sunday’s rally said they consider climate change the most important issue of our

Police officers from across the High Desert came together on Friday to end a week-long training session on how to better help the mentally ill. Run-ins with and calls about mentally ill are becoming all too familiar for Bend and other police on the High Desert. Mental health and police officials say mental illness is

More state requirements and fewer people to carry them out. That’s how child welfare workers summarize what’s happening in Oregon, and they’re traveling to Salem Monday to make their case to lawmakers. For two years, they have been under a hiring freeze, like many state agencies, with two caseworkers doing the work of three. Add

Sunday was the last day of the 2013 Bend WinterFest. About 30,000 people were expected to attend the three-day festival. And while the numbers won’t officially come out until later this week, organizers told NewsChannel 21 Sunday they’re right on target to meet that number again. Every year, Lay It Out events, which produces WinterFest,

A total of 42 basketball teams from all over Oregon and Washington filled both the Sisters High School and Sisters Middle School gymnasiums this weekend. The Sisters Shootout Tournament has been going on for more than 20 years and is put together by the Sisters Park and Recreation District. Both boys and girls in the

A police search for a possibly abducted Salem woman took a 180-degree turn Sunday when officers said they determined the phone call was a hoax, and arrested her for filing a false police report. What’s more, police said Roaxnna Marie Long, 28, had an outstanding warrant on hit-and-run charges out of Yreka, Calif. Long was

The Summit girls and guys team defended their state swimming titles from last year, as they both won the Class 5A state title. Here are the full results from Class 5A: http://osaa.org/swimming/2013/5A/5afinals.htm In Class 4A, the Madras boys won their first ever state swimming title, in only their fourth year of having a program. Here

Dozens of breweries throughout the state opened up their doors to the public Saturday for Zwickelmania. It’s a beer tour to let people get a good look behind the scenes. At Good Life Brewing Co., dozens of people were taking the tour. The owner said several people came from out of town just to visit

Although it hasn’t been feeling too much like winter lately, the annual Bend WinterFest is under way this weekend. The 14th annual event offers the best of winter, all on display. There’s snowboard and skiing competition shows, artists creating beautiful work, live music and food carts full of different kinds of snacks. There’s also lots

Although it didn’t feel too cold outside Saturday morning, especially for mid-February, people taking part in Bend’s seventh annual Polar Plunge still faced some pretty chilly waters. Hundreds of people braved the frigid waters in the Deschutes River, all to raise money for Special Olympics. The event was organized by local law enforcement, so plungers

Runners must love chocolate, based on the turnout for Sunriver Resort’s third annual Run for Chocolate 5K Run and Walk held Saturday. The resort welcomed 340 registrants and many more spectators to the pet-friendly race, which benefits the La Pine High School Athletic Department. A love of chocolate may also be driving increasingly faster times,

Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined 22 colleagues Friday in challenging the postmaster general’s authority to discontinue Saturday mail delivery later this year without congressional approval. In a letter to Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe, the senators acknowledge the financial challenges the Postal Service is facing and urge him to work with Congress to

A Prineville theater got a boost, thanks to a non-profit lending agent that has announced plans to expand into Central Oregon. Craft3, plans to open up an office in Bend. In a press release Thursday, the company said they are aimed at strengthening the economic, ecological and family resilience in the Pacific Northwest. The lender

The Redmond man arrested after a five-hour standoff with police Thursday night made his first court appearance Friday. Police, family and friends of Michael Boynton, 43, said he suffers from mental illness. Boynton is accused of running around on the streets outside his house, threatening three random women with a knife, then going inside and

Senators Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) pledged on Friday to extend the Secure Rural Schools program for at least another year, buying time to craft a long-term solution for rural communities. Baucus, who chairs the powerful Senate Finance Committee, has strongly supported the program in the past, and said he will again work

The Redmond School District board of directors has voted to be a receiving district during open enrollment for the 2013-2014 school year. This is the second year the district has chosen to participate in open enrollment since the adoption of Oregon House Bill 3681. The law, which went into effect last year, allows students to

Amid a new state revenue forecast out Friday, two Bend lawmakers weighed in on the need for state pension system reform during the current legislative session. After Friday’s release of the state’s new economic and revenue forecast, Rep. Jason Conger (R-Bend) said the Legislature must focus on promoting opportunity, encouraging private-sector job creation and passing

Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum said Friday that Oregon has joined with 28 other states in a $29 million settlement with Toyota Motor Corp. and its North America subsidiaries over allegations the car maker concealed safety issues related to unintended acceleration. Toyota agreed to pay $29 million to settle consumer protection claims and has agreed to

“100 years of Making Hope Happen” is the theme selected for the 2013 Relay for Life of Bend/Redmond/Sisters at its Kickoff event Thursday. The theme honors the sponsoring American Cancer Society’s 100 th birthday this year. The Kickoff came with the announcement of accelerated fund-raising goals for the 2013 Relay, scheduled for August 10 and

A downtown Redmond house was surrounded by police, many with guns drawn, and neighbors were evacuated for nearly five hours Thursday afternoon and evening after a man allegedly chased and threatened at least three women with a large knife, officers said. The standoff that forced closure of nearby streets and some evacuations and lockdowns of