Month: April 2016

State Treasurer Ted Wheeler cautioned Oregonians Thursday to beware of a newly reported telephone scam that appears to be targeting college students, in which a threatening impersonator claims to be from the Oregon 529 Network at the State Treasury. Callers have reported the scam calls in Corvallis, Eugene and Salem, and at least one person

The Bend community of North Rim, a Brooks Resources development, has made its final donation to The Oregon Community Foundation’s North Rim Deschutes River Fund with the sale of its last developer lot. When the community was founded, Brooks Resources created the North Rim Fund by donating a percentage of all North Rim homesite sales

Central Oregon law enforcement agencies said Wednesday they are coordinating saturation patrol enforcement efforts this Saturday and Sunday, for Distracted Driving Awareness Month and in the wake of several recent deadly and serious injury crashes. “In light of recent events involving several serious injury and fatal motor vehicle crashes in Central Oregon, this team effort

One of the impacts of Bend’s housing crunch can be seen on the streets of neighborhoods, where some of the area’s homeless park vehicles and live out of them, often moving them only to avoid being towed away. That prompted a discussion between the police chief and city councilors Wednesday night about whether a shorter

The congressional seat for Central, Southern and Eastern Oregon has been in Republican hands for decades. Democrat Jim Crary of Ashland is hoping to add some blue to the mix. The Second District candidate hosted a town hall in Bend Wednesday night, inviting the community to hear his stance on hot-button issues and answer questions.

Thirty-six pine logs were delivered Wednesday, courtesy of Taylor Northwest, to the Deschutes Children’s Foundation’s East Bend Campus, for a special project. The logs, which were donated by Miller Tree Farm LLC and The Tree Farm LLC from their new development west of Bend, will help transform DCF’s existing playgrounds into expanded and improved Nature

The American Lung Association’s 2016 “State of the Air” report released Wednesday found Lake County ranked as the 20 th most polluted county in the nation for short-term particle pollution. Several counties in Oregon saw increased days of ozone pollution, in spite of a trend seen across the nation of lower ozone and particle pollution

A 32-year-old Redmond motorcyclist led a Deschutes County sheriff’s deputy on a high-speed, wrong-lane pursuit at up to 100 mph early Wednesday, running stop signs and a red light before crashing, deputies said. The man was taken to the hospital and cited on charges. Around 12:35 a.m., the deputy tried to stop a red and

An investigative report released last week by the Izaak Walton League of America says Oregon residents have much to be concerned about when it comes to pollution in their local streams and rivers. The state received an overall grade of “C” for its water quality monitoring efforts. The group said Oregon misleads the public on

The Oregon Department of Revenue processed $6.84 million in marijuana tax payments through the end of March, the agency reported Wednesday. Medical marijuana dispensaries started collecting a 25-percent tax on their recreational marijuana sales in January. Since January, 57 percent of payments were made by appointment and 43 percent were made by mail. There were

Oregon Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined fellow Senate Democrats Wednesday to introduce theTesting, Removal and Updated Evaluations of Lead Everywhere in America for Dramatic Enhancements that Restore Safety to Homes, Infrastructure and Pipes Act of 2016,orTrue LEADership Act(S.2821). The True LEADership Act is a comprehensive plan that recommits the federal government to a

Oregon businesses reported 41,300 job vacancies this winter, the state Employment Department said Wednesday, marking the first time job vacancies have exceeded 40,000 in winter and reflecting “the rapid pace of job growth in the state.” Here’s the full announcement: Health care and social assistance topped all industries, with 9,400 vacancies in the winter. Leisure

Senator Jeff Merkley announced Wednesday that Oregon will receive an additional $58 million from the U.S. Department of Treasury to assist Oregonians who are struggling with the housing crisis gripping the state. Wednesday’s announcement adds to the $36 million that was announced two months ago by the Treasury Department. Merkley’s office said the senator “has

As sprinkler systems are turned back on for spring, it’s important for property owners to re-calibrate systems to make sure that sprinklers aren’t set to spray onto nearby streets and sidewalks. Chilly nighttime temperatures can quickly turn irrigation overspray into icy hazards for pedestrians and cyclists. The Deschutes County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC)

U.S. Forest Service crews were back on the lines Tuesday, mopping up a 10-acre wildfire that broke out Monday afternoon south of Bend, a couple of miles off China Hat Road. According to Kevin Cahill, a Forest Service assistant engine captain, the fire was human-caused reportedly from the weekend. “An investigation was performed, and they

During a mixed martial arts fight against opponent Sean Soliz last Saturday night, Dave “Danger” McManis broke his back in three places and is temporarily paralyzed from the waist down. The fighter known as “Danger Dave” is in very high spirits, and although he claims his tournament years are over, he looks forward to the

Bend Park & Recreation District is currently seeking teenage volunteers to help with youth recreation, fitness and swimming programs this summer. Volunteers help from mid-June through the end of August with opportunities such as the Junior Lifeguard and Swim Instructor Aide programs at Juniper Swim & Fitness Center, plus day camps, preschool, science, art, theater,

Early spring hiring was strong in March, particularly in Deschutes County, which added over 400 more jobs than the seasonal norm, a state economist said Tuesday. “This strong hiring helped to drive down unemployment rates across the region,” said Regional Economist Damon Runberg. Here’s his full monthly report: Crook County: The unemployment rate ticked down

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest has lifted a closure on the Marvin’s Garden trail at Phil’s Trailhead west of Bend. While an area closure remains in effect Monday-Friday for commercial thinning and mastication (mowing) in an 8,250 unit around Phil’s Trailhead, forest officials were able to lift the closure on

A woman whose body was found in her La Pine home late last week had died of natural causes five months ago and remained there ever since, in the home where her younger sister had cared for her — and was still living – surrounded by garbage, dead and living cats and foul odors, Deschutes