Month: January 2015

A key lawmaker said Wednesday a “marijuana overdose” reported this week in Sunriver shows the need to go slowly on making pot-infused candies and cookies available to the public. Sen. Ginny Burdick is co-chair of a legislative committee working on implementing the ballot measure approved last fall legalizing recreational marijuana. She told The Associated Press

In Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Obama stressed the importance of affordable child care, a topic affecting many Central Oregon families. “It’s time we stop treating child care as a side issue, or a women’s issue, and treat it like the national economic priority that it is for all of us,” the president

The Redmond Area Parks and Recreation District and the City of Redmond are adjusting operating hours for the ice rink due to slower attendance and warmer weather. The new hours start on Sunday, January 25 th and only affect weekday afternoons. Ice Rink Operating Hours: Monday – Thursday: 5pm-9pmFriday –Saturday: 2pm – 10pmSunday: 2pm -9pm

The new year brings a new “leash on life” for 36 dogs seized in an animal neglect case near Bend last November, recently relinquished — and now ready for adoption, shelter officials said Wednesday. The Humane Society of Central Oregon has been caring for the dogs since they were seized by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office investigates numerous animal abuse and neglect cases every year. Many cases are brought to our attention by community members, Lt. Deron McMaster said in a background statement issued Wednesday. Here’s the rest of that news release: Animal hoarding is a problem that can affect every community in our nation. Typical

Community members are invited to view artwork produced by some of Bend-La Pine Schools’ most talented art students. The work is hanging at Central Oregon Community College’s Pinckney Gallery Jan. 24 to Feb. 11 as part of the Central Oregon Scholastic Art Awards. Organizers received more submissions than ever this year, with more than 860

Jefferson County School Board members met with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs’ Tribal Council on Tuesday to discuss the future of education in the region and whether the reservation might get a high school of its own. Currently, Warm Springs high schoolers go to school in Madras, and they’re not faring too well. “Our

Secretary of State Kate Brown announced Wednesday that 58,960 new businesses registered in Oregon in 2014 — about 2,000 more than in the previous year. In addition, the total number of businesses registered in Oregon reached a record 392,028, the fifth consecutive year of growth. “Oregon is a great state to start a business,” Brown

The warmer weather that recently moved into Central Oregon has created opportunities for fuels specialists with the Prineville BLM to complete two prescribed burning projects, the agency said Wednesday. BLM Public Affairs Officer Lisa Clark said it’s “cold enough the fire won’t spread beyond the piles but not so cold or snowy that they don’t

On Tuesday, the price of a gallon of unleaded dropped under $2 on the High Desert for the first time in years, making for smiles of relief at the pump. Locally, you find it at $1.98 a gallon at Fred Meyer in Bend. “Outstanding,” one driver said. Another added, “I think it’s good for the

NPG of Oregon, a cluster of stations that includes KTVZ (NBC), KFXO (FOX), The CW and Telemundo is looking for a Broadcast IT Engineer. This individual will be a key team member of the Engineering team responsible for the operation, installation and maintenance of the local desktop computers and servers in a broadcast news environment.

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed concern Wednesday about “efforts to cover up the facts about torture” by returning a review to the CIA and pulling back all copies of the Senate Intelligence Committee’s torture report from the White House. “The president has said that he wants to make sure that torture never happens again, so

The Bend-La Pine Schools Boundary Review Committee released its proposed preliminary recommendations for changes to the school enrollment attendance areas on Tuesday and opened an online survey as they held the first of three public meetings to gather community input. The committee members will discuss the maps and listen to feedback from the community at

Lane County Public Health officials said Tuesday they have confirmed a case of measles in the county. Currently, it is believed that this case is linked epidemiologically to the Disneyland Cluster in Southern California and is the first in Lane County since 2007. Spokesman Jason Davis says the case involves a Eugene man in his

As they have in past years, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., offered very different reactions to President Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday night. Here’s Walden’s remarks, in full: “Having come off seven town halls this weekend in Eastern Oregon, I can tell you while the economy’s

Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber stressed the importance of early education in his proposed 2015 state budget. On Tuesday, he toured Central Oregon with that point, and others, in mind. “Last year, we gave out 1,000 books,” said Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Philp, a pediatrician at St. Charles Family Care in Redmond. The clinic participates in a

Solar projects will soon help reduce energy costs for buildings in 10 communities across the Northwest, including Bend, Redmond and Prineville, thanks in part to funding from Pacific Power customers who voluntarily participate in the Blue Sky renewable energy program. Together, the solar projects represent up to $1.8 million new renewable energy investment in 2015,

Art as a medium to rally community around a shared need is reflected in 34 Oregon projects awarded $200,000 in 2015 Arts Build Communities grants from the Oregon Arts Commission. Vacant downtown storefronts become celebrations of community in Corvallis; incarcerated youth fulfill treatment requirements by sharing their stories through pictures or performance in Clackamas County;

Economic Development for Central Oregon announced Tuesday that La Pine Manager Gerry Albert will be stepping down from his position to assist his family with a complicated estate. The matter arose due to the recent unexpected passing of his brother, the agency said. “Our sincere sympathies are with Gerry and his family during this difficult

Gov. John Kitzhaber paid a visit to St. Charles Family Care in Redmond Tuesday to learn more about the clinic’s participation in the national Reach Out and Read program, one of four stops he was making on a swing through the High Desert. Last June, the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement declaring literacy