Month: February 2016

A 39-year-old Redmond woman was arraigned Tuesday on charges she engaged in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old Ridgeview High School student. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said Sally Mae Smith, who was arrested by Oregon State Police last Friday, was charged with two counts of third-degree sexual abuse and one count each of

Between now and March 8, the city of Bend’s 50,000 voters will be asked to vote yes or no on a 5 cent per-gallon gas tax. The Bend City Council proposed the tax as a way to fund improvements to the city’s aging, failing streets. The roads are now facing an $80 million maintenance backlog.

A new Oregon State University study on steelhead trout in Oregon offers genetic evidence that wild and hatchery fish are different at the DNA level, and that they can become different with surprising speed. The research, published Wednesday in Nature Communications, found that after one generation of hatchery culture, the offspring of wild fish and

An investigation of Stars Cabaret launched by Oregon Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian has found substantial evidence of sexual harassment of minors, the Bureau of Labor and Industries announced Wednesday. Investigators determined that Stars knew or should have known about repeated sexual harassment. The case will now move to the administrative prosecution unit, which will draft

The Elizabeth Dole Foundation announced Tuesday the selection of military and veteran caregiver Christa Cox of Redmond, Ore. as a 2016 Dole Caregiver Fellow. The Foundation’s Fellowship program is a nationwide initiative that gives a voice to military and veteran caregivers who have volunteered to serve as advocates and ambassadors for the 5.5 million spouses,

A new study from AAA reveals that pothole damage has cost U.S. drivers $15 billion in vehicle repairs over the last five years, or approximately $3 billion annually. With two-thirds of Americans concerned about potholes on local roadways, AAA cautions drivers to remain alert to avoid pothole damage, and urges state and local governments to

SMART (Start Making A Reader Today) announces the Give Your Heart to SMART Campaign, running from February 15 through March 25. The goal of the campaign is to raise $25,000 in six weeks, equating to $1000 for each of our 25 local schools in Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson and Grant counties. This money will be utilized

Today is the last day to register to vote for the only measure on the March special election ballot: a 5 cent-per-gallon gas tax proposal facing city of Bend voters. You can register online until 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, to vote on the measure, which would add an estimated $2.5 million a year for street maintenance

Women, Infants, and Children, Oregon’s public health nutrition program, is offering its families a new way to shop for WIC food benefits using an EBT (electronic benefit transaction) card. Currently, participants of WIC, a program of the Oregon Health Authority’s Public Health Division, use paper vouchers to buy the healthy WIC foods. Now, with this

Rep. Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver) along with Rep. Andy Olson (R-Albany) and Senator Richard Devlin (D-Tualatin) received the Oregon of Alliance Children’s 2015 Champions Award at a ceremony on Frday. Janet Arenz, Executive Director of Oregon Alliance of Children’s Programs, and Janet Hamada, Executive Director of the Next Door Children’s Center, presented the awards recognizing the

Governor Kate Brown today announced Tuesday the members of her Small Business Advisory Cabinet, created earlier this month. Members will provide perspective on access to capital, the state’s role in promoting entrepreneurship and mentorship, and regulatory challenges for small business. “I look forward to learning more from business owners about how state government can support

A Portland couple faces more than $23,000 in fines from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality for on-site sewage violations at RV parks in Redmond and Warrenton, the agency said. The agency said two RV parks tied to Ken Hick and Cheri Cooley-Hick have been plagued by sewage on the ground, posing a health threat

Officials say a Seaside police officer was justified in killing a man who had shot his patrol partner. Clatsop County District Attorney Joshua Marquis said Tuesday that Sgt. Jason Goodding was shot underneath his ballistic vest Feb. 5 by Phillip Ferry as Goodding tried to arrest him on a felony warrant. Marquis says after Goodding

Dating apps: Maybe you’ve used them, maybe you haven’t. Chances are, you’ve likely heard of them and, as Samantha O’Connor found out, these apps are changing the way people of all ages date. Apps are taking over our smartphones, but it’s the dating apps that seem to be the new norm. “It struck me as

Deschutes County Sheriff L. Shane Nelson would like to meet with citizens of Deschutes County during coffee meetings in coming weeks. Coffee with the Sheriff meetings will be held according to the schedule below. Coffee meeting locations will rotate and will follow an “open house” format. No appointment is necessary to come by and talk

A Bend-area woman began serving a 60-day sentence at the Deschutes County Jail last week, more than a year after she was cited on 35 animal neglect charges in a raid on her property east of town. Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies raided Goldie Coats’ property east of Bend in November 2014. Goldie Coats, now 57,

A Minnesota man pulled over for speeding in Klamath County was arrested after about 113 pounds of marijuana was found in the trunk of his car, Oregon State Police reported Monday. Around 12: 15 p.m. last Friday, an OSP trooper stopped a 2012 Toyota Camry driven by David Huckaby, 33, of St. Paul, Minnesota, for

The Oregon Senate on Monday unanimously approved a bill co-sponsored by Bend Republican Tim Knopp to protect the rights of university and college students regarding medical, counseling and mental health records. Knopp joined Sen. Sara Gelser (D-Corvallis) and Rep. Ann Lininger (D-Lake Oswego) as chief sponsors of Senate Bill (SB) 1558-A, which was passed by

Seaside Police Sgt. Jason Goodding was shot and killed while trying to arrest an assault suspect earlier this month.The death hit close to home for officers at the Redmond Police Department. A public memorial was held Friday in Seaside to honor Goodding. Redmond police Sgt. Curtis Chambers with the Redmond Police Department was there, as

A Bend woman on her first snowmobile ride crashed into a tree near Wanoga Sno-Park Sunday morning, triggering a rescue effort, highway closure and a helicopter flight to St. Charles Bend, where she remained in fair condition Monday, officials said. Deschutes County 911 dispatchers got a call just before 11 a.m. Sunday from Mckenzie Broassard,