Month: June 2016

As if running a half-marathon isn’t hard enough, an elite group upped the ante at this weekend’s Pacific Crest Sports Festival race in Sunriver. Thirteen Marine Corps Scout Snipers not only ran the 13.1 miles — they did so carrying 50-pound rucksacks on their backs. “The rucksack symbolizes all of the pain and suffering that

A fire burned more than 30 acres of grass and brush west of Dufur in north-central Oregon Saturday afternoon before crews aided by a small air tanker and helicopter got it contained, officials said. The Jewel Road Fire was reported Saturday at 4:30 p.m. burning in grass and brush on Oregon Department of Forestry-protected lands

The cause of a quarter-acre wildfire south of Bend late Friday afternoon has not been determined by investigators, but the blaze prompted officials to note it’s another reminder that high-risk fire season is at hand. Bend firefighters responded to a report of smoke south of Park Vista Circle around 4:25 p.m., officials said. While crews

A Deer Ridge Correctional Institution inmate who walked away from an inmate work crew near Sisters on Thursday was apprehended at a southeast Portland motel Friday afternoon, thanks to an anonymous tip, officials said. Around 1:35 p.m., members of the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force investigated an anonymous tip at the Ramada Inn near Southeast

The Downtown Bend Business Association announced Friday the reopening of the public rest rooms located in the lobby of the parking garage. These rest rooms closed about a year ago due to the level of service, maintenance and oversight required. “We’re thrilled to have played a role in reopening the public rest rooms,” says DBBA

Have you ever considered the Oregon State Police as a career? If so, the Oregon State Police offers numerous duty assignments across our beautiful state and will be accepting Entry Level and Lateral recruit trooper applications beginning today and will close at midnight on Sunday, August 7. Careers with the Oregon State Police not only

Four residents of a La Pine home noticed smoke and escaped unharmed Friday morning when a fire started in their electric furnace and began to spread, causing extensive damage, officials said. The La Pine Rural Fire District responded shortly after 8 a.m. to the reported fire at 53116 Holiday Drive, said Duty Officer Fred Franklin.

A fire early Thursday morning at a northeast Bend market is being investigated as apparent arson, police said. Police responded around 3:20 a.m. to a report of an audible burglar alarm at Rico’s Groceries, 226 Northeast Third Street, said Lt. Brian Kindel. Officers arrived to find smoke coming from under the door of the building,

The Deschutes National Forest and Deschutes County said Friday they have begun the process of installing a new bridge on Cascade Lakes Highway to improve fish habitat in Soda Creek — and that means some summer travel delays. The project will temporarily detour traffic in the Sparks Lake Recreation Area vicinity for about a quarter-mile,

An online petition is circulating on social media sites, asking the governor to fire Jefferson County District Attorney Steven Leriche, who’s been the county’s chief prosecutor since 2009. The petition arose after his office reached a plea deal with Raine Austria, the Madras mother sentenced to six months in jail after pleading guilty to two

The Old Mill offered guests a taste of some of Central Oregon’s most popular brews Thursday evening. The fifth annual Fermentation Celebration included some of the best beer, cider and kombucha in the region. “We like to highlight Central Oregon’s breweries, because they do so much for our economy, so much to add to the

With the Fourth of July around the corner, firework stands began opening Thursday in Central Oregon, but they won’t be here for long. June 23 to July 6 is the only time fireworks can legally be sold in Oregon — and then, only ones legal in Oregon. “For consumer fireworks, fireworks that are illegal are

The Office of State Fire Marshal, Oregon fire service, Keep Oregon Green, natural resource agencies, Oregon fireworks wholesalers, and safety experts encourage Oregonians to “Keep it Legal and Keep it Safe” when using fireworks. The 2016 Oregon fireworks sales season opens Thursday and runs through Wednesday, July 6 . The OSFM and their partners want

Two California men climbing the popular Monkey Face formation at Smith Rock State Park became stranded when they chose a wrong descent route and one ran out of rope halfway down Wednesday afternoon, prompting a rescue operation that took until after midnight to conclude, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Shortly before 5 p.m., Cordero Chavez,

A 50-year-old Bend man was injured in a mountain bike crash near Tumalo Falls Thursday evening, prompting a rescue effort by Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue. Shortly before 7 p.m., sheriff’s office special service deputies were dispatched to the area to assist injured bike rider Jeff Hess, said Deputy Cliff Cox, assistant SAR coordinator.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Federal investigators are blaming a fiery oil train derailment along the Oregon-Washington border on Union Pacific Railroad, saying the company failed to properly maintain its track. The Associated Press obtained preliminary findings on the June 3 derailment in the Columbia River Gorge in advance of their Thursday release. The wreck spilled

On Thursday, during National Pollinator Week, Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley unveiled a new proposal to help restore pollinator populations across America. The Pollinator Recovery Act of 2016 was released as a discussion draft and will be formally introduced later this Congress. The discussion draft will provide the public and stakeholders with the opportunity to engage

Several Oregon metropolitan areas posted increases in the number of auto thefts in 2015, and the state’s overall auto thefts rose 11 percent, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s annual Hot Spots Report. Medford saw a 31 percent increase in its auto theft rate, Grants Pass jumped 19 percent and the Portland area rose

Cannon Beach, Clatsop County’s affluent resort destination, is the most expensive summer locale in the state, followed by Bend. That’s according to the latest survey conducted by CheapHotels.org. The survey compared 20 popular destinations in the Beaver State based on their lodging cost. Specifically, the average rate for the cheapest available double room (rated at

Housing Works has announced that construction on Cook Crossing, a new 48-unit senior affordable apartment community in Redmond, is set to begin. The building site is located on a 1.3-acre parcel on Veterans Way, immediately to the west of the Lowe’s home improvement store. Once complete, the complex will include one- and two-bedroom apartments. Rent