Month: March 2016

The body of a Redmond man who had been missing for three days was found Monday at the bottom of a 150-foot ravine at Smith Rock State Park, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies were called to the park around 10:40 a.m. on a report of a missing person, said lt. Chad Davis. Family members

Coming off a very difficult winter last year, Hoodoo Ski Area near Santiam Pass is having its best season in years — and the snow shows no sign of slowing as spring officially nears. The latest storm dumped 14 inches of new powder by Monday, making for a 92-inch base. And with more precipitation falling

The last week of winter began with a new burst of snow and ice that has meant for tricky travel and some crashes at higher elevations around Central Oregon. Oregon State Police Lt. Bill Fugate said troopers responded to several crashes throughout Sunday night and well into the afternoon. He said the slick and icy

The effort to save Outdoor School has garnered support from some significant Central Oregon organizations and officials lately, supporters said Monday The Oregon Outdoor Alliance (OOA), a Bend-based organization with a mission to connect and cultivate Oregon’s outdoor industry, has officially endorsed the effort. The OOA’s support for Outdoor School is in recognition that instilling

A Madras woman being watched closely by a man passed a note to a Springfield gas station attendant late Friday night, asking him to call 911. Her plea for help led to a traffic stop and the arrest of a 31-year-old man on strangulation and other charges, who is accused of choking his girlfriend on

Arts Central announced it is partnering with Sisters Parks & Recreation to host a series of grant-funded after-school art programs at Sisters Elementary School. Arts Central applied for project funding from the Roundhouse Foundation to support after-school programming for the Sisters School District grades K-5. “Building students’ self-confidence and creativity in the arts through real-world

Tickets are now on sale for the 76th annual PRCA Sisters Rodeo. There are five exciting performances and a weekend of special events planned for “The Biggest Little Show in the World.” Xtreme Bulls begins Wednesday, June 8, at 6:30 pm; Rodeo performances are Friday, June 10, 7 pm.; Saturday, June 11, 1 pm. and

Eleven American Red Cross disaster responders from the Northwest, including three from Bend, were leaving Portland International Airport Monday on a flight to the South to aid in flood relief efforts. Carrie Sammons and Richard and Theresa Grimes of Bend were among Red Cross disaster responders who will be helping in the agency’s response to

Almost 450 handcrafted bowls and several tasty soups greeted guests at Ridgeview High School on a cold and wet Sunday. Students from Ridgeview and Redmond high schools have been working overtime in preparation. “All the students have been making bowls,” said Ridgeview senior Carson Tucker. “We’ve come in on weekends and spent a couple hours

Whether you like it or not, your alarm clock will be going off an hour earlier starting this weekend. Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. this Sunday. Aside from making many people feel sleepier, studies show the change can also negatively affect your health. A recent study found an 8 percent increase in strokes

Haggen announced late Friday that it has accepted Albertson’s LLC’s bid to acquire 29 “core stores,” including two in Bend. Haggen filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2015 after purchasing nearly 150 stores from Albertsons so Albertsons could receive regulatory approval to merge with Safeway. Haggen struggled to convert the stores to its brand, amid lawsuits

Deschutes County residents are having to wait several months to get their concealed handgun license permits due to a backlog at the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Shane Nelson said Thursday the agency has seen a rise in the number of residents applying for or renewing their license. Nelson said his office saw an increase after the

Residents of a northeast Bend neighborhood are voicing dismay over what they call “nuisance campers” trashing their neighborhood. “Frustrated, very frustrated,” Alan Aronson of Allybrooke Custom Homes said Friday. Aronson is building homes at the intersection of Purcell Boulevard and Indigo Lane. Over the past week, he’s had to deal with some unwanted guests. Aronson

According to the 360-page investigation summary released by Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, another officer was getting ready to shoot Robert “LaVoy” Finicum in that fateful Jan. 26 encounter. Although the surveillance videos only shows two officers surrounding Finicum in the moments before he was shot along Highway 395 in Harney County, there were

A 52-year-old Prineville man was arrested on charges he met a Prineville juvenile online and entered into a sexual relationship. Police said Friday the growing danger online apps poses means parents must be vigilant and communicate with their kids. Chris Alan Clark was taken into custody without incident when a search warrant was executed by

The Great Bike Giveaway helps hundreds of disabled children every year by giving them special bikes they can ride. The Fayal family has been involved with the giveaway to ensure their son and other children around Central Oregon have the opportunity to ride bikes with their friends and family. Brandon Fayal started having seizures when

For many years, Drake Park has been home to numerous trees providing shade and beauty to park users. Now, officials say one of the park’s large Ponderosa pines will need to be removed due to decay and potential safety hazard for park amenities and visitors. The tree removal is planned for next Monday and Tuesday,

More than two years ago, two brothers, one a retired OSP trooper, pleaded no contest to animal abuse charges for fatally shooting three sheep guard dogs in the Ochoco National Forest. Now, a jury in Prineville has awarded nearly $250,000 in damages to the owner of the Great Pyrenees killed that day back in August

A 59-year-old Prineville man who suffered serious burns Thursday when a backyard burn barrel fire flared up improved to serious condition Friday at a Portland burn center, officials said. Gerhard Berger, 59, was taken first to St. Charles Prineville with possible third-degree burns, then flown to the Oregon Burn Center at Legacy Emanuel in Portland,

It’s a responsibility that comes with living with and taking care of man’s best friend. But what happens when people don’t clean up after their pets? One southwest Bend family dealt with this familiar problem in an unusual, humorous way. Neighbors of Pine Ridge Elementary have been growing weary of people not cleaning up after