Month: June 2016

After lengthy debate, the Bend City Council voted 4-3 Wednesday night to drop the city’s $2,000-a-year membership with the Bend Chamber, as a slim majority said public taxpayer funds should not go to the increasingly political organization in the wake of its new “council scorecard” rankings. Late Thursday afternoon, the Bend Chamber issued its response,

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, along with public safety partners around the state, will receive state funds to partially reimburse their expenses for their response to the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge takeover in Harney County. On May, 25, the Oregon Legislature’s Joint Ways And Means Committee approved the request during an emergency board session at

An 18-year-old Eugene motorcyclist was killed Wednesday afternoon when he crossed the center line of state Highway 242 (the McKenzie Highway), was thrown from the motorcycle and struck by a pickup truck, Oregon State Police reported. The crash was reported shortly before 4 p.m. near milepost 56, in the area of Belknap Hot Springs, said

This year’s fire season will begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. for the Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District. Warm spring temperatures have quickly melted the winter snowpack and dried wildland fuels, officials said Thursday. District fire managers have monitored fuel indices over the last few weeks to determine fire danger and the risk of

A 6-foot-6, 400-pound man who recently moved to Bend grabbed a High Desert Museum gift shop employee around the neck, holding a knife, and dragged her around the busy museum until the struggling woman broke free – moments before an Oregon State Police trooper shot and killed him, investigators said Wednesday. Less than 24 hours

Senator JeffMerkley, D-Ore., greeted the news Thursday that the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau had released a long-awaited proposed rule on small dollar lending. Merkley said the rule will crack down on predatory lending models that are based on trapping consumers in unaffordable and escalating cycles of debt. “I will never forget my first visit to

The Bethlehem Inn homeless shelter in Bend is proposing an expansion. The inn recently sent a letter to neighbors notifying them of the proposal and inviting them to a meeting. The shelter is working with a contractor to add a commercial kitchen and more family housing to the inn. For nearly 10 years, the Bethlehem

Oregon DMV offices will begin accepting debit and credit card payments during the next four months after a successful pilot launch in May, the agency said Wednesday. Prior to this project, DMV accepted only cash, checks and money orders at its 60 field offices. Credit and debit card payments have been accepted for online vehicle

Bill Moseley, founder and CEO of Bend-based software company GL Solutions, announced his candidacy for the Bend City Council on Wednesday, the first day candidates could file for this fall’s four open seats. Moseley said in his announcement that he is running for Position No. 2 on the council, currently held by Doug Knight, who

The Cascadia Lifelines Program, operated by Oregon State University and its lifeline infrastructure partners, has created a new online tool for Oregonians to use to better identify the risks they face from a major earthquake anticipated on the Cascadia subduction zone. Called the Oregon Hazard Explorer for Lifeline Program, or OHELP, the program is free

Starting Tuesday, edible marijuana products containing up to 15 milligrams of THC will be available for retail sale in registered medical marijuana dispensaries across the state to adults 21 or over. Although smoking marijuana has the added risk of harmful smoke exposure, eating or drinking marijuana still exposes you to THC, the chemical that makes

Two weeks after a record number of Oregonians voted in the state’s May primary election, the Oregon secretary of state shared data Wednesday on voter turnout and the state’s pioneering Oregon Motor Voter program. “I am encouraged to see these new ‘motor voters,’ many of whom may have never voted before, engage in the democratic

A landmark Bend hotel celebrated its grand reopening Wednesday. The Riverhouse has been a staple in the community for more than 40 years. Rick Takach is chairman and CEO of Vesta Hospitality. The company bought the beloved property last March and began an over $10 million renovation. “This hotel has been part of the Bend

Bend Park & Recreation District has many opportunities still available for 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, science,

It was meant to be another fun field trip to the High Desert Museum for a group of fourteen fourth graders from Maupin Grade School. “We’re a small, isolated community,” South Wasco School District Superintendent Ryan Wraught said Wednesday. “We’re always trying to get our kids out in the world.” The fun day turned deadly

The video taken Saturday of a 3-year-old boy falling into the gorilla enclosure at the Cincinnati Zoo has become a controversial topic of discussion. Harambe, 17-year-old male gorilla, was shot and killed by a special zoo response team after the boy was dragged around the enclosure. “I’m taking a picture, and I hear a little

The Deschutes National Forest conducted a prescribed burn Tuesday west of Bend on land owned and being developed by The Tree Farm LLC, putting up a tall smoke plume that was highly visible throughout the region. It was the first burn under a recent agreement between the Deschutes National Forest, The Tree Farm LLC and

Weather forecasts predict temperatures to reach or exceed 90 degrees this week in Central Oregon. In response, the city of Bend is encouraging all residents to use water wisely as temperatures increase in coming days and weeks and water use increases. Residents are urged to focus their attention on outdoor water use this time of

Bend’s High Desert Museum said it plans to reopen Thursday, two days after an Oregon State Police trooper shot and killed a man armed with a knife who was holding a woman by the throat and threatening to kill her. Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel plans to release more details from the investigation at

Biologists from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) will sample the Crooked River below Bowman Dam for redband trout and mountain whitefish fromMonday, June 13throughFriday, June 17. Biologists will be electrofishing the river between the Big Bend and Cobble Rock campgrounds. During the sampling, fish will be stunned and netted so biologists can