Month: June 2015

Oneof the earliest blueberry harvests in decades is now underway in Oregon and, bythe end of the season, it could be one for the record books. A mild winter andspring has led to excellentgrowing conditions. Combined with an increase inacres planted in blueberries, everything is ripe for a giant crop of the usualhigh-quality fruit. “Thiscould

One of the most-awaited restaurant chains for many Bend-area residents, Chipotle Mexican Grill, confirmed to NewsChannel 21 on Tuesday it will be opening its first Central Oregon location off Northeast Third Street this fall. A customer service consultant for the Denver-based company confirmed to NewsChannel 21 that Chipotle “will open (in Bend) some time around

Gov. Kate Brown has declared a drought emergency in Sherman County due to drought, low snowpack levels and low water conditions. A total of 20 of Oregon’s 36 counties are now officially in a state of drought emergency – twice as many as last year. “With the arrival of summer, manifestations of drought are already

The nonprofit Tower Theatre Foundation said Tuesday it has refocused its fundraising activities and hired a new staff member to expand upper-level contributions. Jodie Barram starts July 1 as the Tower’s Director of Major Giving. Well-known across Central Oregon from her six years as Bend city councilor, four of which she served as Mayor Pro

Brothers Adam and David Young started Bend Original after thinking about the city they grew up in. “The idea came to me like we should start andresurrect these old businesses,” David Young said Tuesday. They started with the logo for the former Deschutes Station. “It was essentially like the ‘Chuck E. Cheese’s’ in Bend,” David

A Prineville woman was recuperating Tuesday at a Redmond hospital after a motorcycle operated by her husband crashed Monday afternoon on Juniper Canyon Road, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said. Juli Alderman, 54, was in good condition at St. Charles Redmond, where she had been transferred from Pioneer Memorial Hospital, a spokeswoman said. Sheriff’s deputies and

As the six-year anniversary of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act passed this week, in an unsparing new letter nine U.S. senators blasted the Obama Administration’s failure to finalize anti-tobacco regulations. They called the delays “unacceptable” and noted that youth use of new tobacco products is spiking as the administration sits on the

Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced Tuesday a $3 million settlement and an agreement from the White City enterprise that operated a fraudulent nationwide subscription scam to permanently stop engaging in the newspaper or magazine subscription business. According to the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, which is not an admission guilt, filed in Marion County Tuesday,

Weather forecasters are predicting temperatures in Central Oregon to reach or exceed 100 degrees this weekend, continuing the trend of drier and warmer than normal drought conditions. In response, the city of Bend is encouraging all residents to use water wisely as temperatures increase in the coming days and weeks. Residents are urged to focus

Hiring was fairly typical across the High Desert in May, the state Employment Department reported Tuesday, meaning little or no change in jobless rates from April but still a big improvement from year-ago levels. Strong job growth over the past couple years is beginning to spill over into Jefferson County, which was among Oregon’s fastest-growing

Gas prices are holding steady near their 2015 highs, and while Oregon’s prices are up seven cents in the past week, AAA Oregon/Idaho on Tuesday predicted some relief in coming weeks. For the week, the national average for regular unleaded slips a penny to $2.79 a gallon, while Oregon’s average climbs seven cents to $3.14.

A fire that caused $65,000 damage to a southeast Redmond home Sunday night, displacing three residents who escaped unharmed, was caused by improperly discarded cigarette butts, investigators said Monday. A woman living at 336 S.E. Franklin Street called Deschutes County 911 dispatchers around 9:10 p.m. to report awakening to a “boom” and finding the bedroom

The Deschutes County Public Health Department reported Monday that a bat found in Sisters has tested positive for rabies. They urged people to avoid contact with bats and make sure their pets’ rabies vaccinations are up to date. Confirmatory tests were performed at the Oregon State Public Health Lab after a Deschutes County resident noticed

Here’s the full text, as prepared for delivery, of Senate floor remarks by Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in support of trade legislation before the Senate on Tuesday: In the debate in Congress over the last several weeks, I’ve heard a lot of my colleagues come to the floors of the Senate and House and say

Construction is in full swing this summer at the Colorado Dam Safe Passage Project in Bend. If you were hoping to start floating all the way through, you have to be patient. Officials from Bend Park and Recreation officials said it’s slated to open by the end of August. “I wish it was open now.

Bend 2030 and the City of Bend launched a new online community survey Monday to test attitudes about a gas tax and multi-modal transportation investments in Bend. The new survey comes as Bend city leaders weigh whether to ask voters for a 5 cent a gallon local gas tax — a move that already has

Two people riding in the bed of a pickup were thrown and one, a northeast Oregon man, died when the truck carrying four people left a road and overturned late Saturday night in southern Crook County. Sheriff’s deputies said alcohol and speed appeared to be contributing factors. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 11:45 p.m. to

If you live in Bend and get a survey call the next couple of days asking about your driving habits – like whether and how often you use a cellphone while driving – it’s not a scam, police said Monday. Bend police Lt. Clint Burleigh said the department has been collaborating with ODOT’s Transportation Safety

NeighborImpact Head Start is now accepting applications for enrollment for the 2015-2016 School Year. Children who live in Crook and Deschutes counties may be eligible for Head Start, a free, high-quality pre-school and family support program. To register, families must meet income eligibility requirements and submit an application and income documentation. Head Start Staff will

The Kiwanis Club of Redmond awarded college scholarships to 14 graduating seniors from Redmond’s high schools in May totaling $12,750. From Redmond Proficiency Academy: Tayler Bremont and Abigail Stevens, $1,000 each; Emma Price, $2,500. From Ridgeview High School: Lawrence Arefieg and Savannah King, $1,000 each; Billy Brant, $500; Dylan McCarty, $1,250. From Central Christian: Abigail