Month: October 2013

Following an audit conducted by the Oregon Youth Authority, J Bar J Boys Ranch was deemed highly effective as a residential treatment program. The Evidence Based Correctional Program Checklist (CPC) is a tool developed to assess correctional intervention programs and is used to determine how closely correctional programs meet known principles of effective intervention. Several

Here’s a figure: 808,244 — that’s the number of Oregonians on food stamps. Many will see their payment drop roughly $30 a month by the end of the week, with the end of the stimulus package. High Desert food banks are bracing for a surge in requests from families impacted by the snap benefit reductions.

Secretary of State Kate Brown on Wednesday urged all eligible Oregon voters to cast a ballot in next week’s election — and to remember that postmarks don’t count — so if you don’t mail it back in the next day or so, you’d best bring it to a ballot drop site, to be sure it’s

Call it a case of social media used badly, or call it a case of bad timing at an ATM — either way, it was just bad journalism on our part. On Sunday, KTVZ news posted on-air and online photos of two men who Redmond police said in a Facebook post were “persons of interest”

Oregon’s sunny October will give way to November chill, but by donating to Oregon HEAT, Pacific Power customers can help make sure that their neighbors stay a little warmer. It can be as easy as writing one extra check, made out to Oregon HEAT, and mailing it in the contribution envelope they’ll receive in their

Oregonians will officially move their clocks back one hour at 2:00 a.m. Sunday , Nov. 3 as Daylight Saving Time ends. Businesses that serve alcohol until 2:00 or 2:30 a.m. — such as nightclubs, bars, taverns and grocery stores will gain an extra hour of alcohol sales when 2:00 a.m. becomes 1:00 a.m. Some businesses

Halloween is fast approaching and the need to increase safety awareness for little ghosts and goblins is vital to ensure fun for all. This is the time of year when children dress up in costumes and enjoy candy and treats. Children may also interact with neighbors and homeowners they know. This Halloween the Deschutes County

Are you ready to make a difference, give back or pay it forward in your community? SMART, Start Making A Reader Today is seeking volunteers for the 2013-2014 program year. For 21 years, SMART has been pairing community volunteers with children who struggle to read in PreK- 3 rd grades here in Central Oregon. We

It sounded real, it looked real, and for La Pine firefighters, realistic training is rare — and valuable. “It does get you ready for that fire — it’s very realistic,” 21-year-old firefighter Brandon Hargous said Tuesday. Last Friday, the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training brought its two story, mobile fire center to

As you prepare for your winter recreation activities, be sure to buy and display your Sno-Park permit. Oregon’s Sno-Park program helps provide snow removal at about 100 winter recreation parking areas (Sno-Parks) across the state. Sno-Parks are in most of Oregon’s mountain passes and in most ski, snowmobile, and snow play areas. A list of

Cindy Briggs is a fighter. “I found out I had cancer in February of 2012,” Briggs said. “I had ovarian and uterine cancer.” She had surgery immediately after her diagnosis, and learned once she recovered, she would have to follow up with chemotherapy treatments. “Almost immediately, your hair starts to fall out,” said Briggs. “As

Nov. 1 is fast approaching, the first legal day to have studded tires on your car, truck or SUV in the state of Oregon. This year. tire stores will be checking for pressure sensors, and it could be spendy to get them installed or fixed. Some stores in Central Oregon say it’s becoming more and

Two brothers — one a retired Oregon State Police trooper — were sentenced Monday following pleas of ‘no contest’ to animal abuse charges for fatally shooting three Great Pyrenees sheep guard dogs last year in the Ochoco National Forest. “You’ve both been convicted of animal abuse in the first degree,” said Crook County Circuit Judge

Do you have trouble at times with self-control? Maybe you have built-up negative emotion? A new study from OSU-Cascades says you’re more likely to have children who struggle with the same things in child care centers, because it’s in their genes. Shannon Lipscomb is the lead author of the study, published in the International Journal

A commercial truck driver received minor injuries Monday evening but was cited after he lost control, left Highway 126E and crashed into a tree about five miles east of Belknap Hot Springs, blocking the road southwest of Santiam Pass for several hours, Oregon State Police said. According to Senior Trooper Jamin Van Meter, on October

A Redmond girl whose valiant battle with cancer inspired her family and much of Central Oregon lost that fight over the weekend, at the age of 10. We followed the story of Avrey Jane Walker for nearly four years, from a special message she received from Justin Bieber, to her travels to Philadelphia to try

Local robotics team High Desert Droids will be holding a garage sale fundraiser on Saturday , November 2nd, 9am -2:30pm, in the Cafeteria at Mountain View High School. The team’s annual garage sale is a major fundraiser that helps offset funds needed to participate in this challenging program. Currently the team plans to participate in

The search is underway for a new president at Central Oregon Community College. With the help of a consultant, the committee has narrowed down the profile of the person to replace Jim Middleton, who is retiring next year. The search committee says the new president should be an articulate spokesperson who actively engages with civic,

As a Bend murder case moves forward, court documents offer new details about the night Luke Wirkkala allegedly killed David Ryder. A motions hearing was held Monday in the Wirkkala murder case.Many of those motions were efforts by both sides to limit evidence, some of which is crucial information in the case. Wirkkala, 32, of

Rates paid by Oregon’s natural gas customers will change next month — including a average 12 percent hike for Cascade Natural Gas customers — due to the review that occurs every year at this time like clockwork. Meeting Monday, the Oregon Public Utility Commission approved rate adjustments for all three of the state’s natural gas