Month: July 2014

Authorities are looking for the cause of a fire northeast of Redmond Saturday evening that destroyed a shop and boat, causing $150,000 in losses, and sparked a brushfire that crews were able to stop at less than a quarter-acre. Firefighters were called around 6:35 p.m. to the property at 4980 NE O’Neil Way and arrived

With hot weather at hand and a forecast for more of the same, Central Oregon fire crews tackled some new blazes Saturday and contained older ones that broke out in recent days. A wildfire was reported around 2:30 p.m. four miles southeast of Sisters, and burned a half-acre of scattered brush and pine, according to

A San Francisco couple was taken to a Bend hospital after a crash on Paulina Lake Road northeast of La Pine Saturday afternoon, and the husband was cited on a charge he made an illegal U-turn that caused the collision with a pickup truck, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies were dispatched at 2:48 p.m.

Thousands of bikes, beers and flags filled Pioneer Park on the Fourth of July for the annual Freedom Ride celebration. But as usual, what started as bicyclists riding for freedom quickly turned into a loud, star-spangled party. “We’re celebrating our freedom sir! We’re celebrating our freedom!” said Jacob Fritz and Peyton Hill, two of the

Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies are looking for a 52-year-old man who allegedly refused to pull over and led deputies on a chase from Madras to Culver early Thursday at speeds of up to 100 mph, eventually abandoning his car and running, leaving an 18-year-old female passenger behind. The pursuit that went from Madras to and

Eugene Police warned residents before the Fourth of July; refuse a Breathalyzer test if suspected of drunk driving, and be prepared to have blood drawn – and quickly. The warning has sparked some anger, but a Bend police lieutenant sees the benefits. Perhaps lost in the crossfire is the fact that blood testing has been

A report of a Redmond man using illegal fireworks led to his arrest and seizure of a large quantity in the garage of his home, police said Thursday. His ad offering to sell Roman candles, firecrackers, mortars and more remained on Bend’s Craigslist, along with a warning to not use them in Oregon. “Still have

A month after the Two Bulls Fire erupted, Central Oregon agencies held a meeting about what they can learn from the wildfire that forced evacuations of hundreds and threatened the same for thousands of residents on the west side of Bend. It was not by any means the most destructive fire in Central Oregon’s history,

The pops and sparkles can make Independence Day pretty magical. But before the big bang, there’s plenty of behind-the-scenes work to make it all come alive. “The design phase almost takes longer than it takes to set up the whole show,” Pat Olsen, the lead pyrotechnician with Homeland Fireworks, said Thursday. so for every minute

Deschutes County Commissioners set aside nearly four hours for a public hearing Wednesday night on a disputed plan to pipe a stretch of the Pilot Butte Canal north of Bend. But it went nearly an hour longer than that. Over 100 residents filled the hearing room for the hearing on the Central Oregon Irrigation District’s

Jade Ames, a volunteer firefighter with Redmond Fire and Rescue, has been selected as the Oregon Volunteer Firefighters Association’s Firefighter of the Year. Ames has been a dedicated volunteer with Redmond for the past 10 years and has held the office of president since 2006. He spends countless hours giving back to his community and

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says he’s concerned about threats on Facebook from people who are angered by a plan to take blood from suspected impaired drivers who refuse a breath test. Kerns told The Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/VHLIGG ) police will be vigilant on Friday night as they carry out a Fourth

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says he’s concerned about threats on Facebook from people who are angered by a plan to take blood from suspected impaired drivers who refuse a breath test. Kerns told The Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/VHLIGG ) police will be vigilant on Friday night as they carry out a Fourth

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says he’s concerned about threats on Facebook from people who are angered by a plan to take blood from suspected impaired drivers who refuse a breath test. Kerns told The Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/VHLIGG ) police will be vigilant on Friday night as they carry out a Fourth

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Eugene Police Chief Pete Kerns says he’s concerned about threats on Facebook from people who are angered by a plan to take blood from suspected impaired drivers who refuse a breath test. Kerns told The Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/VHLIGG ) police will be vigilant on Friday night as they carry out a Fourth

The American Red Cross is hosting its annual Celebrate Freedom Blood Drive on the Fourth of July at participating blood centers in Oregon and Washington. All presenting blood donors will receive a free T-shirt and a whole apple pie (while supplies last). Celebrate Freedom – one of the most popular drives of the year –

Nonprofits serving Deschutes County have received an extra boost, thanks to the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. The Foundation awarded over $371,000 across Oregon, including $61,000 to nine nonprofits in Central Oregon with a focus on food, safety, and shelter: NeighborImpact: $10,000 The Giving Plate: $10,000 Bethlehem Inn: $10,000 Mountain Star Relief Nursery: $6,000 Central

Since 1985, America has celebrated July as the nation’s official Park and Recreation Month. Created by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). Park and Recreation Month specifically highlights the vital role local parks and recreation, such as Redmond Area Park and Recreation and the City of Redmond Parks Department, play in conservation, health and

Marv and Anita Kelso cherish a specific photo album. It holds the last few pictures taken of their son, Jon. “He loved the outdoors. I think that was part of the firefighting thing, he loved the outdoors,” Marv Kelso said Wednesday. Jon worked on the fire lines for 10 summers. In the summer of ’94,

A 31-year-old Pendleton man pleaded guilty to murder in a Bend courtroom Wednesday afternoon, admitting he fatally beat a retired teacher and Arabian horse breeder at her home in the Cloverdale area last August. Deschutes County Circuit Judge Alta Brady sentenced Joshua Leo Jokinen to life in prison with at least 25 years before he’s