Month: February 2016

Starting next Tuesday, the Bend Park and Recreation District will be implementing a wildfire fuels reduction project on 37 acres in Shevlin Park west of Bend. To be conducted on the park’s east side and south of Shevlin Park Road, the work is estimated to take two weeks to complete. No closures are anticipated, but

May 13, 2015 was a frightening day for three Deschutes National Forest employees as one of their colleagues, Steve Bigby, had a close call with death — one they helped make sure he survived. Next Thursday, the American Red Cross will honor these workers with a Health and Safety Heroes Award. “My life could have

More than 147,000 Oregonians signed up for health insurance through HealthCare.gov during the open enrollment period that ended Jan. 31, state officials said Thursday. Enrollment for 2016 is about 31 percent higher than last year, when about 112,000 people signed up, they said. Oregon had the largest rate of increase in enrollment of any state

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services warned consumers Thursday not to seek loan modification services from Liberty One Mortgage, a California-based unlicensed and unregistered company that has engaged in mortgage fraud. The department, through its Division of Financial Regulation, has issued two orders requiring Liberty One Mortgage to stop all unlawful activity in

The Oregon House unanimously approved a bill Thursday strengthening anti-prostitution laws, a move cheered by a Central Oregon advocate who fights human trafficking around the country. Under current Oregon law, crimes related to promoting prostitution are limited to exchanges involving money or property. The proposal expands the crime of promoting prostitution to include receiving goods

The city of Bend is beginning its two-year “Downtown Parking, Circulation, and Access Study” to develop a parking plan for the downtown area. To kick off this effort, the city, working with Portland-based Rick Williams Consulting, is offering three “Parking 101” sessions on February 16 and 17. The public is invited to attend these free

The armed occupiers are dwindling, but the spending keeps growing in Harney County, as authorities across the state keep boots on the ground in Burns. In Central Oregon, taxpayers are paying tens of thousands of dollars for local law enforcement response aiding Harney County, state and federal authorities. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has sent

A Crooked River Ranch teen who suffered a gunshot wound in South Carolina Wednesday morning was taken off life support at a hospital and passed away Thursday, police said. The shooting was reported just after 3:30 a.m. Wednesday on Wild Horse Road at Hilton Head Island. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office late Thursday confirmed the

Bend businessman Sam Carpenter announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Thursday as the Republican seeks the party nomination to unseat longtime incumbent Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. In a news release announcing the campaign, the “telecommunications executive and business turnaround specialist” said he founded Centratel, a private 9-1-1 call center 31 years ago in

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined with Reps. Earl Blumenauer and Suzanne Bonamici Thursday to introduce a bill that would allow publications in Oregon and other states where marijuana is legal to mail their publications containing written advertising for the product. The Marijuana Advertising in Legal States (MAILS) Act would reverse the outdated declaration

A slow-speed pursuit of a driver who refused to pull over led to a high-risk, guns-drawn traffic stop and the arrest of a Prineville man Wednesday evening on drug and other charges, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said. Shortly before 6 p.m., a deputy tried to make a traffic stop on a 1994 Honda Accord in

More than 50 people gathered in front of the Crook County Courthouse Wednesday night for a candlelight vigil honoring LaVoy Finicum, the refuge occupier shot and killed last week on Highway 395 near Burns. “Our message here tonight is to let LaVoy’s family know that we are honoring him, and to also let everybody know

Deschutes County sheriff’s Deputy Michael Mangin was recognized at the Basic Police graduation ceremony at DPSST in Salem on Jan. 22 with the Outstanding Health & Fitness Award for Class BP353. This award is presented to the individual who excels in the area of physical fitness during the 16 week academy. In a letter addressed

Central Oregon’s drinking water has been known for its great quality for years but how good is it really? NewsChannel 21’s Wanda Moore took an in-depth look into how our water is being tested on the High Desert. Tune in for her special report: “Water you drinking?” tonight on First at 10 on FOX. Are

Bend city councilors agreed 5-2 Wednesday night to move forward with revised rules that will in some ways make it easier for homeowners to build a second, accessory dwelling unit (ADU) on their property – but not before another long debate over the balancing act of creating more affordable housing while protecting neighborhood livability. As

Nurses, deputies and police officers from throughout Oregon came together this week in Bend for Crisis Incident Training, which helps police better understand the stress and emotions someone may be going through when they call 911 or are confronted by police. Officers focused on the importance of active listening and how officers can build a

Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, took to the Senate floor Tuesday night to renew their bipartisan call for a permanent fix to wildfire funding, and to end what they call the senseless practice of raiding fire prevention and other Forest Service accounts just to fight this year’s fires. Wyden and Crapo introduced

Two runaways from the J Bar J Boys Ranch east of Bend broke into a convenience store on South Highway 97 early Wednesday, stealing hundreds of dollars’ worth of beer, cigarettes and other items but not getting far before being caught by police, officers said. Bend police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies responded around 2:45

Some Central Oregonians dealing with the federal Bureau of Land Management say there’s more to the issue than the ones raised by ranchers occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge or supporting their cause. “I understand they are frustrated with working with BLM. I know what they’re talking about. But the way they’re going about it,

With recent snowfall at Mt. Bachelor, many people aren’t thinking the snow will ever end. But warmer weather is on the way and may affect the snow base at Mt. Bachelor. Bachelor spokesman Stirling Cobb said Wednesday, “Over the next couple days, at least, we’re still expecting snow showers, so we’re hoping to get a