Month: September 2015

Two teens were arrested Wednesday night in connection with the weekend burglary of a home in the Tollgate area near Sisters where a couple awakened to find an unknown male in their bedroom, who they chased away, along with a second male. Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said the pair also burglarized a Sisters home three

While this week’s weather has moderated to cooler than normal temperatures and the feeling of fall is in the air, fire danger is still very real throughout Central Oregon, officials advise as the Labor Day weekend approaches. The limited precipitation in the area did little to improve the fuel conditions that have been extreme throughout

Bend police officers spent three hours at two locations on Monday focusing on enforcing distracted driving laws, specifically the use of cellphones while driving. They issued 46 citations for that offense and several on other charges. The operations took place at Southeast Ninth Street and Wilson Avenue, and Northwest Franklin Avenue near Northeast First Street,

A Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy pursued a car after its driver ran a stop sign and refused to pull over in northeast Bend Wednesday evening. The brief pursuit ended in the St. Charles Bend parking lot, where the male driver and a female companion abandoned the car and ran north. Police soon arrested the driver

Oregon Housing and Community Services said Wednesday it was pleased to announce that its Oregon Bond program currently has resources available to help first-time homebuyers get a mortgage loan at below-market interest rates. “For many members of our community, homeownership remains a key part of the American dream,” said Director Margaret Van Vliet. “My agency,

Labor Day weekend is one of the top three boating weekends of the year on many Oregon lakes and rivers, attracting thousands to the alluring banks and warmest water of the season. To keep things fun and safe, the Oregon State Marine Board suggests using your thinking cap as you plan your water getaway: -Don’t

The 2015-16 school year brings new changes and new faces to Bend-La Pine Schools. The district welcomes two newly built schools and a new superintendent. “Growth brings lots of opportunities and we’re seeing that across our district,” first-year Superintendent of Bend-La Pine Schools Shay Mikalson said Wednesday. Silver Rail Elementary and Pacific Crest Middle School

Staff from the Central Oregon Pet Evacuation Team and The Humane Society of Central Oregon were watching, as was the rest of America, as Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans hard a decade ago And like so many others, they acted — and went to the scene to help. Jamie Kanski, regional coordinator of the Central

When the Central Oregon Visitors Association opened a new regional Visitor Information Center in Sunriver last winter, the goal was to better connect the 3.8 million annual vacationers here with all the activities, outdoor recreation, attractions, dining, shopping, and culturally rich travel experiences available throughout Central Oregon. Mission accomplished. After a record-breaking July that saw

The changing of the summer season is marked by kids heading back to school, night time temperatures nearing freezing and the closure of the Centennial Park spray feature in Redmond. The City of Redmond announces the closure of Centennial Park spray feature for next week. The last day to enjoy the summer splashing is Labor

The Mt. Bachelor Sports Education Foundation is excited to announce that the Annual Skyliners Ski Swap will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the former Fuqua Homes factory. It’s located at 20495 Murray Road, across the parkway from the Sun Mountain Fun Center. This year, the Mt. Bachelor Sports Education

Facebook officials made it official Tuesday, announcing they will build a third, larger data center in Prineville after city and Crook County officials approved a new property tax break last week. Currently, Facebook’s Prineville data centers employ 147 people, of whom about 85 percent live in Prineville or Crook County, company spokesman Lee Weinstein said.

Two years ago, St. Charles Health System’s Board of Directors recognized Prineville was ready for a new hospital. The board approved the construction of a facility that was consistent with the nonprofit organization’s vision for health services in the region. Now construction of that new hospital, St. Charles Prineville, is complete. The facility is scheduled

It was introduced last December, but in the hubbub of the holidays, a popular new app that helps impaired drivers get home safely might have gotten overlooked. Now, safety advocates in the Portland area, intent on reducing fatal and serious traffic-related events, want to get the word out statewide: the SaferRide app can help you

Sun Country Tours raised almost $6,000 with its popular Raft n’ Brew whitewater rafting trips this season. The award-winning river outfitter partnered with local breweries to provide the weekly trips throughout the summer, which featured a Big Eddy Thriller whitewater rafting excursion, followed by a complimentary beer tasting, and donated half of all proceeds to

Juniper Swim & Fitness Center will undergo fall maintenance and improvements September 5th through 20th, affecting facility programs and operations. In addition, the Labor Day holiday is September 7th, so patrons can expect special hours and some limited closures over the next three weeks. The indoor pools, hot tub, steam room and sauna will be

There have now been more than 5,800 small to moderate earthquakes in an area of northwest Nevada and southeast of Lakeview in the past 14 months — a swarm that’s picked up pace in recent days. And they might be only one-tenth of what’s actually rumbled below the Earth’s surface, Oregon’s state geologist said Tuesday.

The day before it was to be implemented last week, a federal court ruling in North Dakota sided with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, blocking the Environmental Protection Agency EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers’ “waters of the United States” or WOTUS rule. The court issued a preliminary injunction Aug.

Four national forests in Oregon will open the 2015 harvest season for matsutake mushrooms following Labor Day weekend. Matsutake mushroom season opens on Tuesday, September 8, on the Deschutes, Fremont-Winema, Umpqua and Willamette national forests. All four national forests will conclude their season on November 8. The Fremont-Winema National Forest’s Chemult Ranger District office and

Crater Lake National Park invites all fourth grade students to visit the park for free as part of the White House’s new Every Kid in a Park program. Starting September 1 , fourth grade students can go to www.everykidinapark.gov to complete an activity and obtain a free annual entry pass to more than 2,000 federal