Month: March 2015

Visitors to Bend’s Pilot Butte encountered a new sign posted by state parks officials Monday that warned of a weekend cougar sighting as critics attacked a police decision to shoot and kill the big cat. “I was really surprised it was so close to town — and so close to the trail Scary,” said Bend

Should a business be able to refuse service to someone based on their sexual orientation? It’s a question being debated nationwide following a controversial law passed in Indiana. On Tuesday, Indiana’s Governor Mike Pence said he will change the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. “We’ve got a perception problem here, because some people have a different

The Oregon House voted along party lines Tuesday to pass Democrats’ $7.255 billion K-12 education budget, one trumpeted as a big step forward by Democrats but opposed by Republicans who say more state funds should go to the state’s schools. The budget, which now goes to the Senate, was pushed by Democratic legislative leaders, who

The Central Oregon Fire Chiefs Association announced Tuesday the date of closing for residential and private lands open debris burning across the tri-county region in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Fire chiefs from the local municipal and rural fire departments, along with state and federal partners, have determined due to existing environmental conditions this year

The Chainbreaker mountain bike race is back again for its 19 th year with a new course for 2015. The long-running race takes place in the Skyline Forest just outside of Bend. Much of the old racecourse saw significant damage from last summers Two Bulls Fire and the ensuing salvage logging. Despite this setback and

Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) is hosting three adaptive teams to race in the 2015 U.S. Bank Pole Pedal Paddlet. This multi-sport event on May 16 must have at least three race legs completed by persons with disabilities. There are a few more race slots available for people with disabilities. Any persons with disabilities interested in

The Humane Society of Central Oregon is reminding people to avoid the impulse purchase of live rabbits, chicks or ducklings as Easter gifts. These young animals may be adorable now, but in a short period of time they will mature into adult animals that need daily care for the rest of their lives. Sadly, most

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown denounced Indiana’s “religious objections” law Tuesday, saying it offends her and urging that state’s leaders to reverse its damaging impact. Here’s her statement, in full: “Indiana’s new law offends me. No individual, regardless of where they live or whom they love, should suffer discrimination.I urge state leaders in Indiana to take

Recruitment efforts for Head Start are already underway for next school year, as NeighborImpact celebrates the 50 th anniversary of Head Start and the 20 th anniversary of the Oregon Head Start Association. Since the summer of 1965, more than 31 million children have benefitted from Head Start’s comprehensive services. The program provides a broad

This spring, the city of Bend is encouraging all residents to use water efficiently as they begin to start up their irrigation systems in preparation for the growing season. The city is offering several resources to help residents reduce or eliminate water waste that often results from overwatering, broken or misaligned sprinklers, and persistent leaks.

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum filed a racketeering and unlawful trade practices lawsuit Tuesday against 19 companies and nine individuals who allegedly operate a nationwide newspaper and magazine subscription scam based out of White City. According to the complaint, the companies and individuals inflated subscription prices by 40-100 percent, and illegally collected as much as

A health and diet retailer based in Bend was accused Tuesday by the Better Business Bureau of billing customers for products they never ordered. King Comorgnet Enterprises LLC, also doing business as Diet King, has an F rating with BBB after it received 18 complaints since last September, 15 of which remain unresolved. “This product

The Sustainable City Year Program is moving to Central Oregon, selecting Redmond for the 2015-16 academic year. University of Oregon students will work on over 20 projects with the City of Redmond during the year, the school said Tuesday. The partnership will kick off in April, when students from a bicycle transportation planning course tour

It’s been almost two months since a hiker fell 30 feet down a rocky ravine at Dillon Falls near Bend. Chris Brinegar went off trail to get a better view. He’s been in a coma ever since the accident. Brinegar’s ex-wife, Amanda, talked with NewsChannel 21 on Monday about safety on the trails this summer

Mt. Bachelor put its Sunrise Express lift back in service Monday after finding what sent an empty chair falling 20 feet to the ground; We just heard a loud bang, sort of a crashing noise,” said Bend resident John Dempsey, who was on the chairlift with his wife Sunday afternoon. “We looked up, and there

The City of Redmond is in the process of fully renovating the playground at Sam Johnson Park. The improved park will host a 25,000 square foot all-accessible playground. With the construction of the new playground, the existing play structure will be retired and available for purchase by the public or other entities. The play structure

In their fourth annual consumer satisfaction survey, the Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon has once again ranked favorably among its consumers. Though the survey was meant to measure consumer satisfaction, it has also shown that ADRC consumers experience an improved quality of life and increase of independence and choice because of the

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission said Monday it has signed an agreement to build the online application necessary to handle requests for commercial recreational marijuana business licenses. Under the measure approved by voters last November to legalize recreational marijuana, the OLCC has a deadline of January 4 , 2016, to begin accepting applications for commercial

Ten organizations wrote letters or testified Monday before the Subcommittee on Public Safety of the Oregon Legislature’s Committee on Ways and Means in support of funding for the state’s first statewide Elder Abuse Resource Prosecutor. The position would be housed within the Oregon Department of Justice’s Criminal Division, and would increase Oregon’s capacity to stop

With the April 15 th tax filing deadline quickly approaching, Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., on Monday urged eligible Oregonians to use the IRS and Oregon Free File programs to save money at tax time. The briefing also highlighted free tax services provided by AARP Tax-Aide and CASH Oregon. Free File is a public-private partnership between