Month: April 2015

Solar is coming to Bend, in a big way. Two 100-acre solar farms are being proposed for Bend’s Eastside. For those living in the area, it could change their neighborhood dramatically. “I really enjoy the openness,” Kathy Jensan ,who lives adjacent to the proposed site, said Tuesday. “I really enjoy the wildlife, the deer, the

The Bend Cultural Tourism Commission is pleased to announce they have received 17 applications for its 2015 inaugural grant cycle, with the requested amount totaling $436,010. The Commission expects to award about $110,000 in 2015. Commissioners will review the applications throughout April, and then convene for panel deliberation in a public meeting, scheduled for Monday,

Dine out at a downtown Bend restaurant next Tuesday, April 21 and help homeless animals. Participating Tables for Tails restaurants are partnering with the Humane Society of Central Oregon, so people can dine out for a cause and help those with paws. Enjoy lunch or dinner on Tuesday at a participating restaurant and they will

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be offering free boat safety inspections at the below locations. Inspections will be from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm on Saturday. BEND: Sportsmans Warehouse (North End of Bend) REDMOND: Big Country RV (2872 SW 17th Place, Redmond) LA PINE: Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office substation(The old Mid-State Electric building off

Fires that damaged two Bend apartment complexes — first on the Westside, then on the east — were among four blazes in the city Monday traced to improper disposal of cigarettes, an official said, warning of rising danger as warmer days return. The second fire of the day was reported just after 4 p.m. at

On Friday evening, nearly 300 attendees gathered at Sunriver Resort to celebrate the region’s finest citizens and businesses at the 26 th annual Star Awards for Greatness and Excellence event. “This year, we pulled out all the stops for Bend’s only Academy Awards for business,” said Robin Rogers, senior vice president of programs and events

In March, Oregon’s unemployment rate fell below the U.S. rate for the first time since 1996, dropping to 5.4 percent, from 5.8 percent in February, the state Employment Department reported Tuesday. The U.S. unemployment rate was 5.5 percent in March. While the difference between the Oregon and the U.S. March unemployment rates was not statistically

A combination of a decades-old clerical error and a disgruntled landowner will result in the closure of a public access road to thousands of acres of federal land on the North Fork of Crooked River. Prineville Bureau of Land Management officials confirmed Monday that Teaters Road will be closed permanently to public traffic, beginning May

About 6,400 Pacific Power customers in southern Bend will have their electricity interrupted early Friday morning so crews can switch power supply after finalizing a safe substation upgrade . The outage is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m., officials said Tuesday, and power will be restored by 5 a.m., although “service will be returned at

After 73 years, a World War II veteran is reunited with his dog tags, thanks to a good Samaritan in Bend. Jack Barr, 92, has lived all across the country but was stationed in Oregon in 1942. A phone call sealed the deal after a long wait. “Did you get your tag? He said, ‘Yep,

Due to low snowpack, lack of rainfall and early season warming, all debris, commercial and agricultural burning in areas protected by Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 will be banned effective May 1 st for the duration of fire season, officials said Monday. The burning ban was approved by all fire chiefs from Deschutes,

A new study by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality shows toxic chemicals, ranging from pesticides to metals, are present in all water basins of the state, with some monitoring sites showing levels above state criteria or benchmarks for human health and aquatic life. DEQ said Monday its Statewide Water Quality Toxics Assessment Report is

The Deschutes Land Trust announced Monday it has purchased 58 acres of land along Whychus Creek northeast of Sisters, the latest in a series of acquisitions aimed at protecting the area’s habitat. The new Aspen Hollow Preserve includes a half-mile of creek frontage, unique columnar cliffs, and pine and aspen stands, the organization said. The

The Oregon Tourism Commission (dba Travel Oregon) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2014 Travel and Tourism Industry Achievement Awards, presented at the 2015 Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Eugene. The annual awards recognize people and organizations across the state that go the extra mile to enhance the travel and tourism industry in

Did you know that if a fire starts in your home, you may have just two minutes to escape? The Red Cross in Oregon and Southwest Washington responds to an average of two home fires every day. And more than 60 percent of fire deaths occur in homes without a working smoke alarm. “Home fires

The U.S. Forest Service on Friday announced plans to hold a dozen additional forest management plan revision listening sessions, including one in Bend, a month after Northwest lawmakers said the three scheduled events were not enough. The listening sessions are planned in locations throughout Oregon and Washington. These sessions follow an initial round of listening

NewsChannel 21 is accepting resumes for a paid broadcast/digital producing internship. We offer real-world, hands-on experience with the goal of preparing producer candidates for full-time employment in our Bend, OR newsroom. The NewsChannel 21 internship is open to currently enrolled college/university juniors, seniors, and graduate students; recent college/university graduates are also eligible. Preference will be

A 29-year-old Sisters man was killed Sunday evening when his motorcycle left the curve on a road northwest of Redmond and struck a tree and fence, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, Oregon State Police and Redmond Fire Department medics were called to the scene of the crash, reported around 6:40 p.m.

Average retail gasoline prices in Oregon have fallen 2.7 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.68 a gallon Sunday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,307 gas outlets in Oregon. That compares with the national average that has increased 0.5 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.39 a gallon, according to

Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, and a delegation of 27 Oregonians begin a five-day business recruitment trip in Japan Mond ay . The trip’s goal is to recruit Japanese companies to open U.S. operations in Oregon, growing the state’s economy and creating jobs. The trip includes a seminar where state leaders pitch Oregon