Month: May 2016

Two young Prineville men survived a crash on the Ochoco National Forest on Wednesday in which a downed fir tree impaled the windshield of their car and slammed through the passenger compartment, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies were dispatched shortly after 5 p.m. to the report of an injury crash in the area of

After lengthy deliberations and sharply divided testimony, Deschutes County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to initiate a process to lift a ban on marijuana growing and processing in rural areas of the county. After reviewing recommendations provided by the county’s Planning Commission, Marijuana Advisory Committee and the public, the board agreed on a framework for what

With just days before primary election ballots are counted, many residents are confused by what they got in the mail. Newcomers to Oregon who register as an Independent may not be aware that it’s now a major party — and not the same as a non-affiliated voter. Voters who register with the Independent Party of

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Federal Lands held a hearing Thursday on four bills, one from Oregon Republican Greg Walden aimed at scaling back a wilderness study area’s boundary for wildfire fuels treatment on land bordering Crooked River Ranch. H.R. 5132, the “Crooked River Ranch Fire Protection Act,” adjusts the eastern boundary of the Whychus-Deschutes

Robberson Ford, in conjunction with the Ford Focus on Hunger, is joining other Ford dealers throughout the Northwest to collect jars of peanut butter supporting the summer demand for kid-friendly foods at NeighborImpact’s Emergency Food Assistance Program. The Peanut Butter Drive, which runs from May 14 – 28, is in response to the increased demand

A Deschutes River Woods resident got a devastating diagnosis in January. “When I heard that I have cancer, it was really heartbreaking,” Lawrence Hamilton said Wednesday. Lawrence and his wife, Donna, traveled to California for cancer treatment — and after three months, he was deemed cancer-free. The Hamiltons couldn’t wait to get back home. “We

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., is inviting high school students, parents, and educators to his office’s “Academy Day” in Bend on Saturday to learn more about attending one of the prestigious U.S. service academies. At the event, local Academy Liaison Officers representing the U.S. Air Force, Merchant Marine, Military, and Naval Academies will give presentations on

Next week, the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, partnering with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and NOAA Fisheries, will release additional water from Bowman Dam on the Crooked River to see if higher flows will help steelhead smolts migrating downstream to Lake Billy Chinook. Next Monday evening,, flows will increase through the night to reach

The Deschutes County Farm Bureau is proud to announce the recipients of its 2016 scholarship program. Three students were awarded $1,000 scholarships and one received a $1,500 scholarship. Congratulations to Lauren Riback ($1,500), Christian Lisignoli ($1,000), Cody Nance ($1,000), and Andrew Stengel ($1,000). All students are from Deschutes County Farm Bureau member families. Any student

Central Oregon’s labor force participation rate rebounded a bit last year, but long-term factors are expected to send it falling once again, much as the state’s has for several years, the Oregon Employment Department reported Wednesday. The labor force participation rate (LFPR) is defined as the labor force divided by the civilian non-institutionalized population (CNP),

Several law enforcement agencies seized more than $1,000 worth of crystal methamphetamine during a raid Wednesday on a Madras home. A resident who was not home at the time later turned himself in to Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies. Officers got a tip of a known drug dealer trading crystal meth for stolen property. Jefferson County

State Rep Knute Buehler, a Bend physician, convinced fellow lawmakers to pass a bill making sure women can receive the birth control they need, without the hassle. “It’s a hassle factor, as opposed to this you just drive to Costco, you get a checklist for safety and you get your prescription,” Buehler said Wednesday. But

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15th as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Currently, tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge on Washington, DC to participate in a number of planned events which honor

As we enter fire season, the sheriffs and emergency managers of Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties and their partner agencies said Wednesday they want to insure you understand the three-level evacuation system and where to get current information regarding fire activity. Level 1: Be Ready There is an incident in your area and residents should

Given favorable weather conditions, Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District plan to conduct two prescribed burns south of Bend this week. On Thursday, fuels specialists plan to ignite 100 acres about 20 miles south of Bend. The prescribed fire area is located east of Highway 97 between Forest Roads 9725

An extensive search by land, air and water Wednesday led to good news about a missing boat with a guide and two fishermen aboard who failed to show up at a campsite along the Deschutes River, Wasco County officials said. Authorities with Jefferson County and the Warm Springs Indian Reservation also were involved in the

It’s that time of year for the Bend Soap Co. — their goats are having babies. That’s important, because it allows the goats to lactate. With the goats’ milk, Marilee and Dwight Johnson and their eight children make their special soaps that can help with skin irritation problems. They also partner with St. Charles Bend

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Bend developer convicted in a massive mortgage fraud scheme pleaded guilty Wednesday to additional federal charges after admitting he ordered his son to shoot him in the legs in an effort to collect on a disability insurance policy and delay his prison sentence. Shannon Egeland, 41, pleaded guilty in federal

The Leadership Bend Class of 2016 announced that La Pine Community Kitchen was awarded the $10,000 grand prize at Tuesday night’s second annual Central Oregon Impact Summit. During the “Pitch for a Purpose” event, held at the Riverhouse on the Deschutes Convention Center, five finalists–Deschutes Children’s Foundation, Healthy Beginnings, High Desert Food and Farm, La

People living on Bend’s south side are glad a transient camp is gone, but the amount of trash left behind by the unwanted guests is now creating a problem. “The tents are gone but all the trash remains,” resident Jackson Dunham said Tuesday. Dunham reached out to NewsChannel 21 back in March after he and