Month: December 2013

Businesses were gearing up all day for what they expect to be one of the biggest nights of the year. One restaurant owner said New Year’s Eve would be his busiest night of the year, and others had similar sentiments. With big crowds in a condensed area, business is booming for restaurants, bars and transportation

You’ve probably heard those catchy taglines: “Drive sober or get pulled over” and “Drive hammered, get nailed.” But the sad truth is, most drunk drivers will get away. “Most people who drink alcohol have, at one time or another, felt like they had one too many when they drove,” Deschutes County District Attorney Patrick Flaherty

Oregon is bracing for a severe flu season. The predominant flu strain so far this year is H1N1 – that’s the pandemic strain that swept the country in 2009. It’s commonly known as “swine flu.” Hospitalizations due to the flu spiked in Oregon this past week – 98 people are in the hospital in the

The Bureau of Land Management, in conjunction with other agencies within the Department of the Interior, will waive recreation-related fees for visitors to the National System of Public Lands for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Jan. 20), Presidents’ Day weekend (Feb. 15- Feb 17), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 27), and Veterans Day (Nov. 11)

A commercial truck driver and his dog escaped serious injury early Tuesday morning after his truck and trailer went off Highway 140W about six miles west of Klamath Falls and plunged into ice-covered Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon State Police reported. While OSP investigated the cause of the crash, ODOT was coordinating removal of the rig

Violent crime, storms and wildfires captured headlines throughout 2013 on the High Desert — and while all three proved deadly in tragic fashion, there were also good-news items to lift spirits, from a badly injured, recovering pit-bull mix to governments succeeding in requests to voters and a pair of Central Oregon athletes reaching new heights

The Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday the sites where drone research and testing will be allowed. Central Oregon has been chosen as one of the locations, and that could bring an economic boost to the area. Economic Development for Central Oregon officials said 300 to 400 jobs could be added across the High Desert as

Randy Miller, Oregon native, local civil litigation attorney, combat veteran, former police officer, husband and father, files his candidacy for Judge of the Deschutes County Circuit Court, 11th District, Position 5, held by retiring Judge Barbara Haslinger. After graduating from high school Miller volunteered to serve his country as a United States Marine in the

Oregon State Police on Tuesday identified a 34-year-old Redmond man who was struck and killed by a semi truck Sunday night as he walked or ran onto Highway 97 at the south end of Redmond. Paul David Donlan was pronounced dead at the scene of the collision, which was reported around 9:12 p.m. Sunday in

Prayers for snow are coming from hundreds if not thousands of skiers and snowboarders in Oregon. The 2013-2014 season off to a not-so-stellar start. Hoodoo Ski Area was reporting just eight inches of snow Monday, a far cry from the 77 inches they had a year ago at this time. “The kids were all excited

Want a new twist to your New Year’s resolutions? Focus on positive changes for your four-legged friend. The Humane Society of Central Oregon would like to suggest resolutions that improve the quality of life of your pet and our community. Want to give back to the community? Volunteer your time or talents to the Humane

The Prineville Police Department has a new website, which can be found at http://www.prinevillepd.org/. This site features information about the department, contact information for most members of the Prineville Police Department and easy access to information about how the agency operates. The site also includes links to some of our community partners. We hope the

Following last year’s deadly New Year’s holiday period during which 12 people died, including nine in the tragic Dec. 30 tour bus crash east of Pendleton, Oregon law enforcement agencies are urging travelers to be prepared for varied road conditions — and don’t ignore the dangers of impaired, fatigued, distracted, and other hazardous drivers on

One Idaho man was killed and another critically injured late Sunday afternoon when their pickup truck left Highway 20E and overturned about 30 miles east of Bend, Oregon State Police said Monday. The crash occurred around 4:30 p.m. near milepost 31, about six miles east of Millican and near the intersection with George Millican Road,

A horse found wandering Friday on BLM land southeast of Redmond Airport was claimed by his owner Sunday, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. The horse, nicknamed “Gwyn” by the sheriff’s office, actually is named “Bourbon,” according to Cpl. Neil Mackey, who said he was part of a herd on a BLM allotment. Apparently, someone cut

The holiday season is a popular time for charitable acts. With its end quickly approaching, Central Oregon nonprofit organizations are concerned donations could end as well. Throughout the year, the Bethlehem Inn emergency shelter in Bend relies on almost 2,000 volunteers to run its daily activities. Managing Director Chris Clouart said Sunday that people are

A Bend woman escaped serious injury when her SUV hit a power pole in Deschutes River Woods, south of Bend Sunday afternoon, but about 1,000 Pacific Power customers lost power for about an hour later in the day as repair crews replaced the wooden pole, which was shattered at the base. Helen Smith, 75, was

A Christmas Eve raid on a La Pine couple’s home has led to mail theft and other charges against the pair, accused of stealing Christmas gifts and other items from mailboxes in the La Pine area in recent weeks, deputies said Saturday. Over the past few weeks, the sheriff’s office has taken numerous reports of

It probably was one of the more unusual rescue calls of late for McMinnville firefighters — a cow that had fallen into a swimming pool full of water — but fortunately, it all ended well, officials said. The fire department received the call around 9:15 a.m. Friday, asking for help in getting a cow out

A cougar sighting east of Bend Thursday evening brought Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies to a location along Arnold Market Road. They said they found no sign of the animal, but offered safety tips to avoid close encounters. Deputies were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. to the 60300 block of Arnold Market Road on the reported