Month: June 2014

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum and 44 counterparts in other states have reached a $105 million settlement with GlaxoSmithKline, LLC to resolve allegations that the pharmaceutical company unlawfully promoted and misrepresented the asthma drug, Advair®, and antidepressant drugs, Paxil® and Wellbutrin®. Rosenblum and Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s offices led the effort to reach the

The Bend Park and Recreation District has decided not to commercialize local parks. The park board said they want to keep the integrity of the parks. Tuesday evening, park-goers we talked to shared how they felt about the issue. “I like the park the way it is, and I feel like with the Old Mill

Wolf OR7 and a mate have produced offspring in southwest Oregon’s Cascade Mountains, wildlife biologists confirmed this week. In early May, biologists suspected that OR7, originally from northeast Oregon, had a mate in the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest when remote cameras captured several images of what appeared to be a black female wolf in the

The Seattle City Council made history when it passed a $15 an-hour minimum wage earlier this week. In Oregon, the minimum wage sits at $9.10 since the first of this year. Many think that’s not enough; others disagree. “Things seem to be getting more expensive, and wages don’t seem to add up with it,” a

The Deschutes County Health Services Department is offering a walk-in shingles vaccine clinic on Wednesday, June 18 . The shingles vaccine clinic takes place at the Deschutes County Health Services building, 2577 NE Courtney Drive in Bend, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., (while supplies last). WHO SHOULD ATTEND: The clinic is for anyone 50

Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and several of their Senate colleagues in introducing a bill late Tuesday to bring accountability to the Department of Veterans Affairs. The bill also aims to cut through the red tape that keeps veterans waiting far too long for care, following the release of

New York Yankees center fielder, Madras native and former Oregon State student-athlete Jacoby Ellsbury has committed $1 million to help Oregon State’s baseball program expand its locker room facilities. Goss Stadium is the oldest continuous ballpark in the nation, having been on OSU’s campus since 1907. The stadium has undergone several renovations in recent years,

Anglers fishing the Crooked River below Bowman Dam the week of June 16 are likely to see a crew from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife conducting its annual fish survey. ODFW biologists will be electrofishing the river between the Big Bend and Cobble Rock campgrounds from Monday, June 16 through Friday, June 20.

Whether you use them to cool off, exercise , or just relax, you’re bound to get some use out of Bend parks this summer. This year, you might notice some additional staff hanging around. “We have a lot of areas in our park district that can use a park presence,” Park Services Director Pat Erwert

A human-caused fire broke out and burned just over an acre of grass and brush in the La Pine area Tuesday afternoon, as crews west of La Pine continued a 730-acre prescribed burn on Lookout Mountain, authorities said. Meanwhile, a thunderstorm moving north through Central Oregon Monday afternoon sparked seven small lightning-sparked fire, totaling less

Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon is June 7-8, and to help people make the most of this opportunity a number of fishing events are planned for central and southeast Oregon. During Free Fishing Weekend, fishing licenses, tags and endorsements are not required to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. To make it easier for

One week into the summer driving season, gas prices are ticking up, with Oregon’s prices at the highest level so far this year — and AAA Oregon/Idaho said Tuesday it sees little relief in coming months. The national average for regular unleaded adds a penny this week to $3.67 a gallon, while Oregon’s average gains

Nearly 1,100 Bend-La Pine Schools students will don caps and gowns this week as they take center stage to accept their high school diplomas. Graduation schedules: Mountain View High School, 307 Graduates June 5, 7 pm Deschutes County Fairgrounds MVHS graduates plan to continue their education next fall at colleges and universities, including West Point,

Dennis Pahlisch, founder and president of Pahlisch Homes, Inc., was recently appointed by the Deschutes County commissioners as one of three representatives of the County on the Housing Works Board of Commissioners. Pahlisch founded Pahlisch Homes in 1983 and built the company into an award winning home builder of quality homes with operations in Oregon,

Rents are on the rise all over Central Oregon. Some even jumped $300-$400 within a month. Property management companies get a lot of the blame, but say it’s all about tight supply and high demand. “I haven’t seen it like this in 20 years,” Michael Kozak, owner of Kozak Property Management Co., said Monday. According

When Ryan Carrasco of Bend and his friend got to Mount Rainier, they were greeted by an unwelcome sight. “Any time you see a helicopter flying over a mountain, it’s not a good sign,” said Carrasco who is an expert climber. The team knew something was wrong as they began their ascent to Liberty Ridge

The Bend City Council has three positions that will be placed on the ballot for the November 2014 election. Citizens interested in serving on the City Council may begin the filing process June 4 and have until August 26 to file completed petitions. Three positions will expire at the end of December. Those include Jodie

Fuels specialists began a prescribed fire north of Wickiup Reservoir on Lookout Mountain on Monday — and as thunderstorms rumbled north into the area, a small apparent human-caused brushfire broke out west of North Twin Lake. Maria Maragni, manager of the Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch Center in Prineville, said the fire was reported at mid-afternoon,

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Oregon has launched its annual community grant awards program to support other local nonprofit agencies whose programs directly improve the health and well-being of children and families in our region. Organizations serving children in Crook, Deschutes, Grant, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath and/or Lake County are invited to submit requests for

Prestige Senior Living High Desert celebrates National Flag week with an opportunity for local residents to exchange worn-out U.S. flags for new flags, free of charge beginning Monday, June 9. Prestige invites community members to stop by and receive a brand-new American Flag in exchange for their worn-out or used flags throughout Flag Week. The