Month: January 2015

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is accepting applications from members of our community who are interested in becoming a Search and Rescue Volunteer. Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue (DCSO SAR) is one of the busiest search and rescue units in the state of Oregon. In 2014, DCSO SAR completed 244 missions, which included

Building on the momentum of its Livability Series and the support of the Leadership Alliance, Bend 2030 has hired an interim executive director, elected a new chair and appointed five new board members, each with broad knowledge of key sectors and strong networks across the community. Erin Foote Marlowe—a former journalist, administrator at Central Oregon

A pair of suicide prevention presentations are planned in Bend and Redmond later this month. Participants will learn the risk factors related to suicide, the importance of recognizing signs and getting help, as well as how a community can work together to help prevent suicide and suicide attempts. Resources for help will also be available.

A cook at Crater Lake National Park, fired for excessive alcohol consumption, was sentenced this week to 18 months in federal prison for getting in a fight with park rangers after his dismissal, prosecutors said Friday. Senior U.S. District Judge Owen M. Panner also sentenced John Charles Saubert, 47, on Tuesday to three years of

The Internal Revenue Service and the Free File Alliance announced Friday the launch of Free File, which makes brand-name tax software products and electronic filing available to most taxpayers in Oregon for free. Free File software can help taxpayers with tax preparation, including the health care law that will affect almost everyone. Oregon taxpayers can

Democratic Sens. Patrick Leahy (Vt.), Ron Wyden (Ore.), Al Franken (Minn.), and Cory Booker (N.J.) issued a joint comment Friday , criticizing proposed net neutrality legislation released by Republican members of Congress. The Federal Communications Commission will soon vote on updated open Internet rules that will affect millions of Americans, and Republicans recently unveiled proposed

The question of whether marijuana will be legal or not is now over. Now, Oregon lawmakers have to ask how to implement it safely by July 1st of this year. “It was not a perfect ballot measure and they rarely are,” state Sen. Tim Knopp, R-Bend, said this week. While Measure 91, approved by voters

As climbers at the Bend Rock Gym laced up their shoes and dusted their fingers Thursday, a challenge loomed overhead: breaking the recently broken record at Yosemite’s Dawn Wall. Well, sort of. “They only did 32 pitches, we’re going to do 33 today,” said Bend climber John Caccamo. “This way, we’ll outdo those guys in

The Deschutes National Forest advised sledders and tubers Thursday that a recent lack of snow has left the Wanoga Snow-Play hill icy, slushy and bare in places and, until conditions improve, officials recommend the public find other winter adventures on the forest. Several permitted guides offer a wide variety of winter tours on the forest

Reports that a southwest Redmond man was following and threatening to kill his wife with a gun brought numerous police to his neighborhood Wednesday night. Officers soon learned the threats actually involved a knife, but a standoff at the man’s home lasted several hours, closing nearby streets, until he was taken into custody without incident

Are you looking for an opportunity to give back to the community in 2015? If so, BrightSide Animal Center in Redmond welcomes you. We depend on volunteers to supplement our small staff. Volunteers foster kittens, puppies and other pets who need home care; staff the front desk; walk dogs; staff the thrift store; sort bottles

On Saturday, February 14th — that’s right, Valentine’s Day — more than 400 people will take turns plunging into the icy Deschutes River at Riverbend Park. It’s the statewide annual Oregon Law Enforcement Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Oregon, presented by Fred Meyer. Participants will raise more than half a million dollars for athletes with

Students at Oregon State University will have a chance to help shape policies related to marijuana legalization in Oregon as part of a new public policy course taught this winter on the OSU campus in Corvallis. “Marijuana Policy in the 21st Century” is a new sociology course developed by Seth Crawford, an instructor in the

A new AARP survey of Oregon registered voters age 45 and older found that 85 percent of Oregonians want to live independently at home for as long as possible — with the help of family caregivers, who face their own set of difficult challenges. When the basic tasks of life become more difficult due to

The Bureau of Land Management Prineville District has started implementing a series of annual wildlife closures to protect several species of birds of prey during sensitive nesting periods. Harassment by humans – unintentional or deliberate – is a leading cause of nest failure or abandonment. People walking or riding near a nest—or even being within

The City of Bend Community Development Department said Wednesday it is enhancing and refining its building safety and land-use permit processes. Over the last year, the Community Development Department has identified concerns from customers with the permitting process. Upcoming changes will reduce confusion for customers, provide a more helpful approach in serving customers and decrease

Bend officially advanced Wednesday to the semifinal round of the Georgetown University Energy Prize, a national competition that is challenging communities across the U.S. to rethink their energy use. At a press event in Washington, D.C., Bend was announced as one of the 50 local communities who are leading the way on energy efficiency and

The Redmond City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to award the Evergreen Elementary Rehabilitation Project design services contract to FFA Architecture + Interiors Inc. of Portland. FFA was chosen based on their project team’s extensive experience with historic rehabilitation projects, city officials said. The intent of the Evergreen Elementary Rehabilitation Project is to preserve the

A large meadow out near Dillon Falls south of Bend will once again return to its historic wetland state, as a construction crew began installing underground culverts into the Deschutes River on Wednesday. The pilot project to flood the meadow is spearheaded by the Deschutes National Forest. It has been planning the project for five

A 47-year-old Bend transient was arrested Tuesday, charged with placing a metal rail on railroad tracks in northeast Bend late last month, puncturing a passing freight train’s fuel tank and spilling about 2,000 gallons of diesel along the tracks, police said. George William Myers was arrested around 7:40 a.m. near the intersection of Northeast Second