Month: June 2014

The Deschutes County Health Services Public Health Division was notified on June 18 that it has met the required standards to be considered an Accredited Health Department. Deschutes County Health Services is one of the first 50 health departments across the country and only the second Local Health Department in Oregon to receive National Accreditation

At a Capitol Hill hearing Tuesday, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., called for comprehensive tax reform, with a focus on simplifying the tax credits available for Americans pursuing higher education. “I want to focus on policies that will mean students have less debt from the start,” Wyden said. “The crazy quilt of tax

As of 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the Deschutes National Forest has lifted the area closure that was put in place in response to the 6,900-acre Two Bulls Fire west of Bend. However, about a half-mile of Mrazek Trail on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District will remain closed to allow for trail repair following Two Bulls Fire

A vintage Ford Model A was stolen in Prineville on Sunday. The restored car of a bygone era was parked at the Church of Christ while driver Jack Groves, 79, was having lunch. However, contrary to earlier police reports, the restored car didn’t belong to Groves. He was fixing it up for the Waetjen family,

The Center Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care & Research said Tuesday it has signed on as the first provider in Central Oregon to participate in Patient-Centered Community Care (PC3), a program designed to offer specialized health care to eligible veterans. The PC3 program was established by the Veterans Health Administration to ease the increasing burden on

Tony Newbill of Powell Butte has a plan for his $50,000 Powerball jackpot,getting some of those dream projects done on his Central Oregon ranch. Newbill stopped at Bandits in Redmond for a quick bite to eat and picked up a Powerball ticket, using his special numbers. “This is the most I have ever won, definitely

The Office of State Fire Marshal, Oregon fire service, Keep Oregon Green, natural resource agencies, Oregon fireworks wholesalers, and safety experts encourage Oregonians to “Keep it Legal and Keep it Safe” when using fireworks. The 2014 Oregon fireworks sales season opened Monday and runs through Sunday, July 6 . The OSFM and their partners want

A wind-whipped fire that caused more than $100,000 damage to a northwest Bend home late Monday afternoon was traced to cigarette butts disposed of in a plastic flower pot on the back deck, investigators said. Firefighters were called around 4:10 p.m. to the reported fire spreading on the back deck of a home at 20634

Come fill your water bottles with Bend’s award-winning drinking water at the City of Bend’s water tap booth at the Bite of Bend festival this weekend, from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 28 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, June 29. The Bite of Bend is a food festival that celebrates

Bike thefts are common in Bend, especially now that it is officially summertime. In the wake of a string of thefts that led to the arrest of four teen boys, a bike owner taught NewsChannel 21’s Samantha O’Connor the basics of locking up your bike. “I’ve seen some pretty silly mistakes,” Matt Snow, co-owner of

The price of gas in Oregon is at its highest point of the year and Central Oregonians are feeling the pinch at pump. “It hurts — it’s expensive,” Bend resident Bob Wade said Monday. Add the unrest in Iraq fueling speculation, and travel experts say it could be an expensive summer on the road. “If

A 34-year old transient was arrested Sunday afternoon after allegedly stealing a fully remodeled 1930 Ford Model “A” coupe and crashing it into the Crooked River along Highway 27 south of Prineville, Oregon State Police said. The suspect was arrested after being treated for injuries at St. Charles Bend. Shortly after 3 p.m., OSP troopers

Overgrown and uncared-for vacant lots are more than just an eyesore. They are also a safety issue, especially during fire season. Two small fires in vacant lots reported in Bend Monday, one on Reed Lane, the other in the Foxborough area of southeast Bend, show the risk. “Our concern is with these vacant lots in

The Deschutes County Animal Control Board of Supervisors has openings now for volunteer board members. The Board of Supervisors represents the Board of County Commissioners at hearings and makes decisions on the disposition of dogs who are involved in the chasing, wounding, or killing of livestock. Commissioners seek Deschutes County residents to fill the Board

Beginning Wednesday at 12:01 AM, all private, county and state lands protected by the Klamath-Lake District, Oregon Department of Forestry, including BLM lands west of Hwy. 97, as well as Bureau of Land Management lands west of the Gerber Reservoir Area in Klamath County, will be placed under a PUBLIC REGULATED USE CLOSURE. Local fire

The Oregon State Marine Board and law enforcement partners from 32 counties and Oregon State Police will be participating in Operation Dry Water, June 27 -29, as part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence of intoxicants). The mission of Operation Dry Water

The Family Access Network is the recipient of a $2,000 grant from the Pacific Power Foundation to help support a FAN advocate at Jewell Elementary School, a high needs school in Deschutes County. The FAN advocate will connect over 250 children and family members to basic-needs including food, shelter, clothing, heating and healthcare. FAN’s mission

The American Red Cross on Monday asked blood and platelet donors to help prevent a summer shortage by making an appointment to roll up a sleeve around the Independence Day holiday. With blood and platelet donation appointments currently lower than what is needed to maintain a sufficient blood supply, donors of all blood types are

May ushered in strong hiring across the High Desert, with all three counties posting seasonally adjusted job gains, the Oregon Employment Department reported Monday. Although hiring was concentrated in seasonal businesses, jobs were added across a wide variety of industries and ownerships. There was no significant change to local unemployment rates from April, similar to

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement Monday on the release of a 2010 Justice Department Memo on the use of lethal force against Americans: “I believe every American has the right to know when their government believes it is allowed to kill them, and the public release of this memo is a positive