Month: September 2014

The Presbyterian Women’s group of First Presbyterian Church and local partners distributed 955 hygiene bags to homeless students in Deschutes County. Through the generous efforts of hundreds of community members and several local partners these bags will be distributed throughout the school-year to homeless children by the Family Access Network advocates and school district homeless

Rarely does a big decision on a big issue before the Bend City Council become something of an anti-climactic footnote. But it was only after several hours of emotional testimony and debate on another big issue – a surge in vacation rental homes that some residents said were destroying their neighborhoods — that councilors agreed

Why did the cattle cross the road? Probably not to help Oregon State Police find a missing elderly Eugene man in Burns, but that’s just what happened Thursday. Troopers said they got the unexpected help from a group of cattle crossing Highway 20 in Burns early Thursday afternoon. According to Sgt, Brian Williams, around 12:15

A teenager crashed his SUV Sunday morning after a passenger used a lighter to set his armpit hair on fire, according to the Ada County Sheriff’s Office. The crash happened at 5:30 a.m. on Columbia Road between Meridian and Linder roads. Eighteen-year-old Tristan Myers was driving when his front-seat passenger, a 16-year-old boy, set Myers’

State Labor and Industries Commissioner Brad Avakian announced Wednesday that Oregon’s minimum wage will increase to $9.25 an hour on Jan. 1, providing a 15 cents-per-hour raise for 141,822 workers. “Oregon’s minimum wage helps workers keep pace with the rising cost of goods while boosting the purchasing power of consumers around the state,” said Avakian.

More than 100 United Way of Deschutes County supporters gathered at the Bend Golf & Country to Club on Wednesday to help kick-off the 2014/15 fundraising campaign with a “KAPOW” and a “BANG”! Dressed in blue superhero capes, volunteers helped Vito DiMaio, United Way Resource Development Director, announce this year’s campaign goal of $1,500,000. “It’s

In less than a week, 12 golfers will represent Team USA at the Junior Ryder Cup at Blairgowrie Golf club in Scotland. And the man who will captain them hails from right here in Bend. In 1995, Brian Whitcomb designed and constructed Lost Tracks Golf Club in Bend. Eleven years later, Whitcomb was elected president

On the night of Sunday, Sept. 21, Riverside Boulevard will close between Broadway and Riverfront overnight, the city of Bend said Wednesday. The closure will start at 10 p.m. Sunday and the road will reopen at 6 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 22. The Galveston Avenue Bridge will not be closed. The bridge will be open

A La Pine-area driver saw a cougar carrying a deer carcass across a road Tuesday night, but an area check did not find the animal, the most recent in several cougar sightings around Central Oregon in recent weeks, authorities said. Around 9:45 p.m., the passing motorist saw a cougar carrying a deer carcass across La

Fire crews with Redmond’s PatRick Corp. returned from mop-up work on the Deception Complex Fire near Oakridge Wednesday afternoon, working to clean up their rigs — but not clocking off for the season. “We’re still picking up fires, working everybody we can,” said Operations Manager Justin Dice. From a national perspective, Dice said it’s been

Though Halloween is still weeks away, local retailers are already getting into the holiday spirit. “Towards the end of the season, I do another round of hiring and end up with a lot because, as busy as we get, it takes a lot of people to keep the store running,” Nova King, manager of the

Come fill your water bottles with Bend’s award-winning drinking water at the City of Bend’s water tap booth at Oktoberfest this weekend, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19 and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20. Oktoberfest is an event organized by the Downtown Bend Business Association, a nonprofit that works to

A human-caused wildfire spotted Tuesday afternoon on the Ochoco National Forest 40 miles east of Prineville burned about 55 acres and was 95 percent contained by Wednesday, officials said. Two air tankers and two helicopters helped crews on the ground tackle Incident 895, reported shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday about four miles southeast of Big

A 72-year-old Metolius man shot and killed his 45-year-old son at the family’s home late Monday night, telling deputies it was in self-defense as their intoxicated son attacked him and his wife, Jefferson County sheriff Jim Adkins said. Deputies were called to the home at 461 Ninth Street in Metolius around 11 p.m. and found

For years, the community has pushed to make it safer — and two years ago, taxpayers made it a priority with an approved bond measure. Tu esday night, the Bend Park and Rec Board approved plans for the Colorado Dam Safe Passage Project. “This is going to be Oregon’s very first whitewater park,” Bend Paddle

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department invites comments on the development of a statewide comprehensive trails plan at 14 workshops scheduled throughout the state in October, including Bend. on Oct 23. Planning will cover motorized ATV trails, snowmobile trails, nonmotorized trails, water trails and state Scenic Waterways. Trail users, representatives of outdoor recreation businesses and

Measure 86 was proposed by Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler to expand opportunities for the Legislature to fund student financial aid and vocational job training programs in the state. Proponents say the measure is a small but significant potential solution to the growing debt among Oregon’s young adults. “One in every five young people in

Cascade Youth & Family Center is the recipient of $13,000 in funding from the Deschutes County Health Services Department, Early Learning Division for this year. CYFC has provided services and support for homeless and runaway youth in Central Oregon since 1989. With the support of Deschutes County, CYFC will continue to provide emergency shelter and

Tour des Chutes, an annual fundraising event for local cancer survivorship programs, was held July 12th, with record level participation by riders and sponsors and raised over 10% more than the previous year. As a result of the successful event, the board of directors announced its largest grant ever at $125,000, to be donated to

Becca’s Closet, the volunteer-run organization operated through Bend’s Community Center, is the only organization of its kind in Central Oregon to provide formal attire to young adults and men and women who otherwise could not afford to attend special events, dances and homecomings and proms. Becca’s Closet will reopen again this fall Thursday, Oct. 23