Month: December 2015

Bend firefighters tackled a pair of blazes Tuesday afternoon, one at a detached shop east of town that was caught fast thanks to a neighbor. The second was behind a downtown restaurant, where investigators said a worker tried to melt snow out of the gutters with a blowtorch and lit a wall on fire. Crews

Due to the impacts of an Oct. 1 increase in the wholesale rates the Bonneville Power Administration charges Central Electric and other electric cooperatives, CEC will implement a 5.7 percent rate increase effective with January’s bills. The increase will be applied uniformly to all energy, facilities, and demand charges. Central Electric’s review concluded the 7.1

Next month, theOregon Liquor Control Commission’s recreational marijuana rules take effect. Now, the city of Bend is out with its own recreational pot regulations for businesses, and both the city and Deschutes County hold public hearings on their proposed rules on Wednesday. The city regulations are very similar to the state’s new rules. They’ll apply

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday have passed, and Tuesday was all about giving back. Central Oregonians showed their generosity on the fourth annual Giving Tuesday, a growing effort to shine a holiday spotlight on worthy causes. Originating in 2012, Giving Tuesday is a global movement that lends balance to the frenzy of

About 4,300 Pacific Power customers in south Bend will have their electricity interrupted for up to three hours early Friday morning so crews may finalize work after upgrading substation equipment, officials said Tuesday. The outage is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m. and power will be restored by 6 a.m. although officials said it will

Side-swipes, rollovers, rear-enders: The lot at Precision Body & Paint features cars with all sorts of damage , the aftermath of a week of snow and ice on Central Oregon roads. “Some in our industry call this harvest season,” Production Manager Andy Hoard said Tuesday. “We’ve seen a lot of collisions come in.” It’s proof

In the aftermath of the area’s recent snowstorm, Bend Postmaster Nathan Leigh reminded postal customers Tuesday to always clear and maintain a safe, accessible path to their mailboxes. “Winter storms make mail delivery very challenging for our letter carriers,” Leigh said today. “Please make certain your mailbox is visible and free of snow and ice,

An anonymous comment posted on a social media app prompted an increased police presence Tuesday at Crook County High School, and a student from another school soon came forward to admit posting it, officials said. In a letter sent home to parents and distributed to others in the community, school administrators said they became aware

Spaying and neutering is one of the greatest gifts you can provide your pet, your family and your community. These routine medical procedures not only reduce the number of animals who enter shelters, but they may also prevent medical and behavioral problems from developing in a cat or dog. This allows your pet to lead

St. Charles Foundation’s 2015 Saints Gala broke its own record and netted more than $200,000. The masquerade-themed Nov. 14 event at the Riverhouse Convention Center Ballroom was sold out. This year’s Gala featured a gourmet meal, live and silent auctions, a big-ticket raffle and a performance of the Viennese waltz by local ballroom dancers. Auction

Bend’s proposed fuel tax is beginning to look like a pricey one, as a March special election would cost the city about $70,000, though it would allow a quicker move to fix up more roads. Monday evening, city councilors heard what the public had to say about the proposal. The council has come to believe

Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum announced Tuesday the Oregon Coalition for Responsible Use of Meds and Oregon Health & Science University will receive $567,000 to combat opioid (prescription pain-killer) drug abuse in the state. The funding comes from the $1.1 million settlement reached between the Oregon Department of Justice and the pharmaceutical company Insys over the

There might not be a place in Bend that resembled Santa’s workshop more than the Nashelle warehouse on Cyber Monday. Employees hammered away creating jewelry to keep up with those filling orders and boxing up necklaces, rings and other pieces. “We anticipate it, we look forward to it and it’s fun to create a social

The Oregon State Marine Board is seeking public comment on a proposed boat moorage rule requested by the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office in the wake of an issue with a large boat that called Lake Billy Chinook home for the past couple of years. The Great Escape, a 44-foot cabin cruiser, moored on the Metolius

Business Oregon, the state’s economic development agency, said Tuesday it has expanded its staff in Central Oregon to include a business finance officer with 25 years of experience in commercial banking. Thomas Schnell will work with small businesses, local private lenders and economic development partners to help grow the Central Oregon economy. He will improve