Month: August 2014

Summer is heating up across the High Desert, with hiring up in all three counties over figures of a year ago, the state Employment Department reported Monday. Deschutes County was once again the fastest growing metropolitan area in the state, with employment growing 5.1 percent from last July, while Crook and Jefferson counties saw annual

Another string of intense thunderstorms rocked and rolled through Central Oregon Sunday night, hitting the region with heavy rain, hail and plenty of lightning. South of Bend, travelers on Highway 97 slowed or pulled over amid the heavy rain and hail. One weather spotter reported the rain falling at a rate of a half-inch an

The first American Cancer Society Relay For Life for Redmond and Sisters took place this weekend at the Redmond Proficiency Academy on the Hugh Hartman Campus and easily topped its fund-raising goal. There were a total of 21 teams and over 200 participants working to raise awareness and funds to battle cancer and support survivors.

Cascade Natural Gas crews will be working on Phase 3 of the Gas PipelineReplacementProjectthis week. Officials said to expect a fair amount of congestion on SE Second Street as crews work on installing new lines between Vine and Taft. When the crew gets to the intersection of 2 nd and Wilson about the middle of

Oregon State Police on Sunday identified a 51-year-old Vancouver, Washington man who apparently shot and killed himself after leading police on a high-speed pursuit on Highway 20W Saturday night from the Sisters area to Tumalo, where spike strips stopped his SUV. Around 8:40 p.m., OSP troopers and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were notified by another

Alcohol and speed were factors in a pair of injury crashes late Saturday and early Sunday in Crook County, sheriff’s deputies said. Around 11:15 p.m. Saturday, sheriff’s deputies and Crook County Fire and Rescue responded to a reported single-vehicle injury crash on Highway 126 near Steffey Lane, about halfway between Prineville and Redmond, said Sgt.

Riots in Ferguson, Missouri have the social media world in a tizzy. The subject of all the talk is militarized local police forces. Many are arguing about why police have the equipment they do — and whether or not they should. Much of the weaponry is obtained through a free program through the Department of

Two people were injured, one seriously, Saturday when their motorcycle left state Hwy. 242 (the McKenzie Highway) and crashed about 14 miles east of the Hwy. 126 junction, Oregon State Police reported. Around 12:10 p.m., passing motorists reported coming across the scene of the motorcycle crash near milepost 71, troopers said. A Harley-Davidson motorcycle crashed

A 52-year-old Prineville woman was taken to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries and cited for drunk driving after a crash Friday evening on NW O’Neil Highway, said Crook County sheriff’s deputies. Deputies were dispatched around 6:15 p.m. to the highway near milepost 13 on the reported single-vehicle crash, said Deputy Dan Smith. They

Watch out beer, there’s a new trend that could take a bite out of business. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” said Far Afield Cider owner John Gessner. And the experts say here in America, cider is anything but new. “Historically, it was the drink this country was founded on,” said Red Tank

The mad dash is on to find back-to-school supplies and cross off that list. “Every year it seems like there’s a little bit more to buy,” one Bend mom said Friday. “I’m getting glue sticks, markers, erasers, stuff for school,” said one eager student. The lists seem to be getting longer and more detailed. “It’s

The city of Bend this week joined Nextdoor, a private social network platform for neighborhoods. This allows the city to communicate online with specific neighborhoods who have established Nextdoor websites. As of this week, 21 neighborhoods have established networks and almost 700 Bend residents are using the system. Neighborhood residents establish and manage their own

Following Robin Williams’ death, there has been a near-doubling in calls to the Lines for Life Suicide Lifeline from friends and family members concerned about a loved one’s risk for suicide. The Portland organization’s surge in calls reflects the national trend this week. “The rise in phone calls is coming mostly from those who have

An annual Columbia Drag Boat Association race event will take place September 5-7, 2014 at Haystack Reservoir, located about ten miles south of Madras on the Crooked River National Grassland. During the race event, public access to boating activities on the reservoir and nearby camping facilities will be limited. Boat launches on the west and

A bicyclist was struck by a truck driving down Highway 126 on Tuesday afternoon. It might sound like just another accident, until you meet Fred Bouwman, the man riding that bicycle. Bouwman, of Ontario, Canada, was biking around the world to raise money for an orphanage in the Philippines. His journey started in Thailand back

It’s not your average cocktail hour. Women from around Central Oregon are getting together several times a month to discuss beer. “I was going out to beer events and noticing that there were women, but they were few and far between, but the ones I did meet were super awesome,” Gina Schauland, president of the

It’s prime-time summer season. But lately, Mother Nature doesn’t seem to care. “This summer, there seems like there are a few more thunderstorms around,” Mt. Bachelor spokesman Drew Jackson said Thursday. “When the weather is nasty, we definitely take a hit.” Blustery weather closed the resort on Thursday . Jackson said they made the call

The Bend Police Department will be conducting a Pedestrian Safety Operation on Tuesday, August 19 th , on NW Riverside Boulevard at Kansas Avenue. The operation will take place between 9 and 11 a.m. The intent of this operation is to provide education to motorists and pedestrians on laws related to sharing roadways to prevent

St. Vincent de Paul Redmond received approval from the Collins Foundation for a grant totaling $100,000 towards the purchase of their existing building in Redmond. Two other foundation grants have been applied for and are pending trustee final review. These funds will be added to the community donations totaling $122,000 and savings accrued by SVDP

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the Community Development Department’s Code Enforcement Policy and Procedures Manual update on Wednesday, August 27, at 10:00 a.m. at the Barnes/Sawyer Room (1300 NW Wall Street, Bend). The mission of the County’s Code Enforcement Program is to protect the health and safety of