Month: March 2016

Former Deschutes County sheriff’s Capt. Erik Utter told NewsChannel 21 Thursday he resigned his position after he “made a mistake in my personal life that impacted my professional standing with the Sheriff’s Office,” and apologized to county residents and his former colleagues for his actions. In a fax to reporter Pedro Quintana, Utter acknowledged what

Businesses across Central Oregon are bracing for the impact of the newly signed minimum wage bill. Business owners said Thursday the minimum wage increase poses a double-whammy for them, as they also have to provide sick leave for their employees. Now they’re adjusting their books to keep their businesses running, as the first wage increase

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said on a visit to Portland Thursday she is taking prosecution of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge occupiers “very seriously,” adding that “no one is above the law.” The actions by the occupiers “were unlawful, they were criminal, and they will be dealt with in a court of law,” Lynch

The Oregon House gave final legislative approval Thursday to legislation that increases the Earned Income Tax Credit for families with young children, said Rep. Knute Buehler, R-Bend, a chief sponsor of the bill. The vote came a day after the Senate passed HB 4110, he said. “The EITC is a proven tool for relieving poverty,”

An early start to spring has also meant an early allergy season. Our usual spring time peak in April might come as early as March. Dr. Ripdeep Mangat at the Bend Allergy and Care Center has noticed patients coming in early to help deal with the symptoms. “People usually start getting affected in March and

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Earl Blumenauer, all D-Ore.,introduced resolutions Thursday setting a national goal of producing more than 50 percent of America’s electricity from clean and carbon-free electricity sources by 2030 and calling for the enactment of new legislation to achieve this goal. Showing the significant amount of

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will start a drilling program next Monday to collect soil samples at Ochoco Dam east of Prineville. The agency’s drill crews will be working near the toe of the dam’s downstream face. Soil samples will be collected from the embankment and foundation at 10 drill sites to refine existing Ochoco

Supporters and opponents who hailed or criticized the Oregon Legislature’s passage of a minimum wage hike plan last month voiced similar remarks Tuesday after Gov. Kate Brown signed the bill into law — but this time, reaction also came from President Obama. Here’s the president’s statement, in full: “I commend the Oregon Legislature and Governor

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon lawmakers have given final approval to pioneering legislation that would eliminate coal from the state’s energy supply by 2030 and double state mandates on renewable power by 2040. In a statement, Gov. Kate Brown seemed to indicate she would sign the bill. She said it “equips Oregon with a bold

The Oregon Supreme Court on Thursday accepted the recommendation of the Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability and dismissed a complaint against Deschutes County Circuit Judge Randy Miller over a Voters’ Pamphlet statement in his 2014 election bid. In 2010, Miller had attended a trial academy presented by the International Association of Defense Counsel, held

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday the state is asking to join the Deschutes Basin Oregon spotted frog federal litigation as a friend of the court, “with the goal of resolving the water management conflict through a collaborative, court-sponsored process.” “”The Deschutes Basin litigation is a major conflict over water resources that requires a solution

Your money may be sitting in Oregon’s capital city, waiting for you to claim it. “It’s kind of a giant lost and found, with monetary assets,” said Department of State Lands Program Manager Patrick Tate. That lost and found is better known as the Department of State Lands in Salem. “You think, ‘Well, who is

Sen. Jeff Merkley, (D-OR), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Jon Tester (D-MT), and Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced legislation Wednesday to ensure consumers can find GMO ingredient labeling on food packaging while ensuring that food producers are not subject to confusing or conflicting labeling requirements in different locations. The senators’ legislation presents an alternative to a Senate Agriculture

Our El Nino weather pattern has given us an early spring, and has also affected bird migration patterns in Central Oregon. Wild Birds Unlimited specializes in supplies for bird-lovers, but founders Kevin and Jen Lair are also passionate about watching and learning more about our local birds. “There’s a lot of different birds that people

The City of Redmond is applying for a grant to rehabilitate Bowlby Fields in the Dry Canyon. There will an Open House to share a sample concept and hear input from Little League, softball players, interested stakeholders and the general public. Wednesday, March 9 th 5-7 p.m.City of Redmond – Transportation Conference Room243 E. Antler

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will once again be participating in the Sportsmen’s Show, being held at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Thursday through Sunday. This year, in addition to a Marine and OHV Safety/Education booth, we will be presenting a PowerPoint slide show titled, “Insights Through Tragedy: Lessons learned from

We’ve heard about the melting of the polar ice caps, but a group of Central Oregonians has been doing research on — and in, and under — Oregon’s glaciers. which it said are disappearing fast. “A lot of the mountains in Oregon, like the ones right nearby, the Three Sisters, are glaciated — they have

For what may be the first time, scientists have eavesdropped on the deepest part of the world’s oceans — and instead of finding a sea of silence, they discovered a cacophony of sounds both natural and caused by humans. For three weeks, a titanium-encased hydrophone recorded ambient noise from the ocean floor at a depth

As families venture to the outdoors this spring, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reminded parents Tuesday that youths between the ages of 12 and 17 need a license if they plan to hunt, fish or shellfish. Although fishing now requires a license two years earlier than in the past – at age 12

It wasn’t the snowiest February, to be sure, and at times was downright warm and mild. But despite that, Tuesday’s monthly snow survey at three spots along the Cascade Lakes Highway west of Bend turned out better than expected, with the snowpack’s water still near 30-year averages – and far better than a year ago.