Month: June 2015

Meyer Memorial Trust awarded 109 grants in June, totaling nearly $4.3 million for organizations across Oregon and Southwest Washington, including several groups and agencies on the High Desert. Some of the awards stand out. One grant, for $14,520, falls under the Willamette River Initiative and supports mainstem Willamette restoration work. Another grant of $5,000 supports

The conclusion of the academic year at Oregon State University – Cascades brought awards to four faculty and staff members for teaching, research, staff support and community outreach. The awards are an annual tradition at the branch campus and recognizes excellence in employee performance across the university. Robin Feuerbacher, an assistant professor and lead for

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will temporarily close Pilot Butte State Park’s summit road to both vehicle and foot traffic on Friday to perform asphalt patch work. Due to the extremely hot weather predicted, the road will not reopen until Saturday morning to allow the work to cure. “We ask that hikers use the

A Sunriver man who failed to return home from a bike ride Monday morning, triggering an extensive two-day search, had ridden to his travel trailer in the resort community, “feeling physically and mentally exhausted” and needing “to get away” for a bit, the family said Wednesday in a statement released to police. “We commented, wouldn’t

Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., cheered Thursday’s ruling upholding key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Wyden applauded the Supreme Court’s 6-3 decision to uphold the Affordable Care Act by preserving tax credits for health insurance in states with federal health insurance marketplaces. “Today, the Supreme Court has reached the same conclusion

The Pacific Northwest Region of the U.S. Forest Service announced Thursday a pilot “on demand” phone interpretation service to enhance public service to non-native English speakers. “This pilot is a direct result of the Region’s dedication to being inclusive and accessible to the communities they serve,” the announcement said. “We are committed to improving public

As temperatures are forecast to rise to over 100 degrees this weekend, The Shepherd’s House, an organization that serves Central Oregon’s homeless, is in need of bottled water. Summer in the high desert can be just as harsh as winter when living outdoors. Because of this, The Shepherd’s House is providing more water, serving more

Shevlin Park is Bend’s largest park, covering over 600 acres. Users range from hikers to cyclists, families, nearby residents and dog owners that have come to somewhat of a conflict using same trails or being disturbed by dogs off leash. The Bend Parks and Recreation District is discussing adding new policies or enforcing policies they

With forecasters warning of an extended hot spell and the potential of dry thunderstorms, Central Oregon and state fire officials are girding for rising fire danger and pleading for the public to be very careful in the days leading up to the Fourth of July weekend. “The combination of high temperatures and lightning increases the

A local nonprofit, the Deschutes Children’s Foundation, is celebrating their Silver Anniversary. The organization was founded in 1990 by concerned community leaders who recognized the need for a central location for children and families to receive health and human services in Deschutes County. From this effort, Deschutes Children’s Foundation’s first location, the Rosie Bareis Community

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The Oregon Marine Board, law enforcement from 32 counties and the Oregon State Police will be participating in Operation Dry Water this weekend as part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to boating under the influence of intoxicants. So far this year, officials say, Oregon has experienced

Building Solutions, a construction materials company based in Bend, hosted its annual NeighborImpact food drive and company BBQ June 19. The event organizers estimate 600 pounds of food was collected for NeighborImpact, a Central-Oregon not-for-profit organization. “It’s common for food donations to drop off during summer months,” said Scott Cooper, executive director of NeighborImpact. “We

A heat wave settling into Oregon in coming days has prompted a number of warnings, tip sheets and advice from agencies on how to beat the heat, stay cool and be safe. First, from the Oregon Health Authority: As the state’s temperatures break into the triple digits by this weekend, health officials are recommending Oregonians

Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., issued a statement Wednesday after the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, of which he is a member, passed a bipartisan bill to authorize renewal of the Highway Trust Fund and increased transportation funding over the next six years:: There is no better way to create good jobs now and build

On Tuesday, Cloverdale firefighters responded to two reports of the illegal burning of yard debris. In both cases firefighters found residents of the fire district burning items in their yards. The people that were burning said that they did not know that burn season was closed. Fire Chief Thad Olsen said Wednesday he would like

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., praised Wednesday’s passage of trade legislation in the U.S. Senate to allow the president to complete trade agreements, and the expected passage of a bill to expand key worker assistance programs. But fellow Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley voted no, and explained why. The Trade Promotion Authority bill passed 60-38, on a

The Oregon Senate voted 24-4 Wednesday to allow women to purchase birth control without a doctor’s visit, a proposal introduced by Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend. Buehler, an orthopedic surgeon from Bend, introduced the measure earlier this session and led the bipartisan work group assigned to the concept. “We have the opportunity to remove one of

The Americana Project Arts Outreach Scholarship fund is fully funded and is assisting low-income students with arts-related learning. Started in 2011 by Sisters Folk Festival with an initial donation from Bank of the Cascades, the fund has grown under the watchful eye of Sisters Folk Festival staff and the Family Access Network. “We started the

A Hermiston man was killed, but a truck driver from Redmond escaped unhurt when an SUV heading the wrong way on Interstate 84 in northeast Oregon slammed head-on into a semi-truck hauling fresh salmon and both vehicles burst into flames late Monday night, Oregon State Police said. Troopers and emergency personnel responded around 11:15 p.m.