Month: September 2015

Central Oregon wrapped up the summer with mixed results in the job market, according to August unemployment figures released Tuesday by the Oregon Employment Department. Hiring was strong, due to a red-hot tourism and construction season, said Regional Economist Damon Runberg. And job growth wasn’t limited to these seasonal industries, with employment gains seen in

Oregon Adaptive Sports (OAS) ‘Heroes in Summer’ weekend sport retreat for service members or veterans with a physical disability will be at Eagle Crest and through out Redmond September 25 th through September 27 th . The Heroes in Summer weekend is the summer version of the popular OAS Heroes in Sisters skiing week-end for

The Colorado Avenue Dam project, which became the Bend Whitewater Park, has been making waves for quite some time. It finally opened to the public Friday, but some soon found out the “safe passage” channel wasn’t exactly what they’d hoped for. Engineers made up for a 12-foot elevation drop by creating rock steps down the

A fire sparked by improper disposal of cigarettes extensively damaged a mobile home in southeast Bend on Monday, but firefighters rescued and administered oxygen to a cat they found in the smoky home. The male cat, named Kick, “is expected to do fine,” said Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe. Firefighters were called shortly before

Oregon’s governor and members of the congressional delegation hailed Tuesday’s decision by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service not to list the greater sage grouse for protection under the Endangered Species Act, while environmentalists voiced a mix of reactions. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said, “Today’s news is a victory for conservation and a huge relief

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Monday praised the removal of what he called a flawed Intelligence Authorization bill provision to require companies like Twitter and Facebook to notify the government about vaguely defined “terrorist activity” by social media users. Wyden placed a hold on the 2016 Intelligence Authorization bill in July over concerns about the

The job of a firefighter comes with tremendous danger, but for many firefighters, the fight foes far beyond the fire lines. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found in a study that firefighters face an increased risk of leukemia. “I was diagnosed 2 years ago this December,” Mark Taylor, deputy chief of training with

The Post man accused of kidnapping and assaulting his ex-girlfriend learned Monday afternoon that he faces dozens of other charges. Josef Taylor, 34, was arrested last week after investigators with the Crook County Sheriff’s Office said he locked the woman in his cabin for nearly three weeks and burned her with a blow torch. In

With taxes being top of mind for many American voters as political hopefuls sell their tax-reform ideas to the public, the personal finance website WalletHub released its annual report on the 2015’s Most & Least Fair State Tax Systems . Here’s the rest of their news release on the findings: Tax systems vary dramatically across

Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest plan to conduct the 400-acre Squirrel Ridge prescribed burn near Mill Creek Wilderness later this week, pending favorable weather conditions. Last week’s wave of precipitation across Central Oregon, combined with cooler daytime temperatures, provides a window of opportunity this week to successfully complete the fuels treatment before another

The Bend Park and Recreation District became nationally accredited by the Commission for Accreditation of Parks and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA) at a hearing in Las Vegas on Monday. The commission recognizes park and recreation agencies for excellence in operation and service. Park and recreation agencies across the United States turn to CAPRA Accreditation as a

A group of ecologists at Oregon State University argue that scientific “business as usual” will fall far short of what is needed to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals that are expected to be adopted by the United Nations General Assembly this month. In a commentary published Monday in Nature Geoscience, the researchers suggest that

Senator Wyden (D-Ore.) joined colleague Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Ranking Member Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) and 26 members of Congress Mondayin filing an Amicus Brief with the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in support of the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Internet rules. The Amicus supports the FCC’s decision that broadband Internet access is a telecommunications

Average retail gasoline prices in Oregon have fallen 11.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.56/g Sun day , according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 1,307 gas outlets in Oregon. That compares with the national average that has fallen 3.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.29/g, according to gasoline price

At 4 a.m. Monday, St. Charles Prineville, located at 384 SE Combs Flat Road, opened for service, a $30 million successor to Pioneer Memorial Hospital. The new hospital saw its first patient in the Emergency Department at 4:43 a.m., said St. Charles Health System spokeswoman Lisa Goodman. The St. Charles Family Care clinic, located inside

Two first-time South Sister climbers from Corvallis called for help Saturday night after their lost their way during their descent and ended up off-trail in an area of icy rocks after darkness fell. They spent a chilly night on the 10,358-foot peak but were found in good condition Sunday morning, officials said. Deschutes County Sheriff’s

A 45-year-old Redmond man suffered fatal injuries Friday evening when his SUV overturned in a dirt and gravel area by a southwest Redmond apartment complex, police said. The driver, identified as Steven Roth, apparently was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from and pinned beneath the vehicle, they said. Redmond police and fire

The much-anticipated Bend Whitewater Park opened for play Friday evening, just as the weather warmed a bit for the weekend. “This project has been a long time coming, and it’s exciting to open the park,” said Don Horton, executive director of the Bend Park and Recreation District. “There were three primary goals of the project:

Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel told NewsChannel 21 that Oregon State Police forensic analyst Nika Larsen is under investigation for stealing drugs from the crime lab in Bend. She is not the only OSP analyst who has been investigated for misconduct. Hummel said Larsen is accused of stealing pills and other drugs and replacing

Saturday marked the final day of Oktoberfest in downtown Bend. Many people traveled from all across the region to celebrate because Bend is known for its amazing breweries. Many local breweries brought out their best beers to share with the public. Lauran and Jay Beebe, from Arizona, enjoyed celebrating Oktoberfest in one of their favorite