Month: August 2014

VA Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs Sloan Gibson visited the Portland VA Medical Center on Friday and announced additional steps being taken to improve veterans’ access to care. “No veteran should have to wait for the care and services that they have earned and deserve,” Gibson said. “The audit and the data we just released

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has announced penalties against three Bend companies, one over hazardous waste violations, another for performing asbestos abatement without a license and a third for hiring them. The DEQ issued a $6,400 penalty Thursday to Agere Pharmaceuticals, Inc. for hazardous waste violations. It’s a pharmaceutical research and development company at

A temporary ruling adopted Wednesday by Oregon’s Early Learning Council has banned medical marijuana patients from working as licensed child care providers, and has one Redmond businesses owner crying discrimination. “One of these is saying I’m suspended, the other is saying they kicked me out of the background registry because I’m suspended,” Boo’s Daycare owner

Highway planners for the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration published the final Environmental Impact Statement for the US 97 Bend North Corridor Project on Friday. It identifies the project’s Preferred Alternative (East DS2 Modified Alternative), provides detailed analysis of the Preferred Alternative, and includes responses to public and local, state and

A truck driver from Redmond was injured early Friday morning when his rig crashed head-on into a tree off Highway 62 near Prospect in Jackson County, Oregon State Police reported. OSP said it is continuing the investigation into the cause of the crash. Around 5:15 a.m., a Les Schwab commercial truck driven by Gary D.

Harmony4Women, the local Women’s Acappella Benefit Community Chorus, has received major sponsorship funding from Les Schwab Tire Centers. The Les Schwab managers have been strong supporters of the chorus since its beginnings in 2009. With stores in each Central Oregon community, they understand the spirit of bringing the many local communities together, through business and

The city of Bend has collected hundreds of comments about how to make it easier to walk, bike and ride the bus in what’s called the Central District, the area around Third Street, from Revere to Burnside avenues. Using those comments, along with input from a citizen technical advisory committee and project team, the city

In a collaboration between BestCare Prevention, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and Crooked River Ranch Fire & Rescue, a 24-hour medication return box has been installed at the fire station. It is Jefferson County’s third medication collection box. The other two are at the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office and at City Hall in Culver. The goal

It’s still summer, but Bend Park & Recreation District is thinking about the cooler days of fall! Registration for fall recreation programs begins Monday, August 11th. Fall programs run from September 1st through the end of December and include youth and adult activities, fitness, swimming, sports and outdoor recreation. Registration will be available online at

The League of Oregon Cities has targeted the following five issues as legislativepriorities for the 2015 session of the Oregon Legislature: –Property Tax Finance Reform:o Introduce a constitutional amendment allowing the option to have a local optionlevy outside compression;o Restore equity in Oregon’s property tax system by resetting assessed value to realmarket value when a

Water quality agency staff from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, U.S. EPA Region 10, Willamette Partnership and The Freshwater Trust released draft recommendations on approaches to water quality trading in the Pacific Northwest. The recommendations are based on the group’s evaluation of policies, practices, and programs across the country. The evaluation identified common principles and practices

The Painted Hills induces awe with its swirling red-and-gold terrain and glimpse into prehistoric time. Yet right across from this unit of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument lies a secret Oregon gem equal in allure and beauty. Meet Sutton Mountain, the perfect complement to the Painted Hills, a place recently crowned by Travel

NPG of Oregon Inc., a cluster of television stations that includes the NBC, FOX, The CW, and Telemundo affiliates in Bend, Oregon is seeking an Assistant Traffic Manager. This position will assist with production of timely & accurate log of commercials, programming and promotions and all other functions of the Traffic Department. Broadcast Television and

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber on Thursday ordered all flags at public institutions to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Saturday in honor of Matthew Goodnature of Phoenix, Oregon. The 21-year-old was off duty when he died in a fall near the Launch Fire at Fourmile Lake. “Matthew Goodnature’s death is a reminder

A phone call into a Deschutes County courtroom from thousands of miles away did not mask the anger of David Ryder Sr. as he listened to Luke Wirkkala be sentenced for the murder of Ryder’s son Wednesday afternoon. “Mr. Wirkkala is a vile human being, with no regard for human life,” Ryder said on the

Most government surveys — in fact, most surveys in general — are a long list of questions and “definitely agree/disagree” pondering moments. The city of Bend is taking a different tack as it embarks on a momentous chore: plotting the city’s future growth. The city must revisit its years-long effort to decide how big its

With fewer than 1 percent vacancies in Bend, and the resulting rise in rents and home prices, affordable housing is a top priority for the city. In fact, they added efforts to address the issue to their list of top priorities at the end of Wednesday night’s council meeting. The next big project on a

Redmond School District Superintendent Mike McIntosh on Wednesday announced a new leadership team for Redmond High School and Obsidian Middle School. Tony Pupo, Redmond High School assistant principal, will replace outgoing RHS principal Nicole MacTavish, who accepted a position with Nampa School District in Nampa, Idaho. Pupo was previously selected to serve as planning principal

Fire retardant use is at an-all time high at the Redmond Air Center. There are two reasons for it. This fire season is particularly intense and newer planes can fuel faster and have bigger tanks. The 10-year average is around 700,000 gallons of retardant. This year, the air center has already used 721,000 gallons —

Firefighters quicklyresponded to two new fires on the Crescent Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest on Tuesday, holding them to under an acre in size, officials said Wednesday as activity increased on a fire near the John Day River. There have been over 150 fires across Central Oregon–mostless than an acre–since July 28. All