Month: August 2016

Firefighters responded to and stopped a nearly two-acre brushfire on BLM land east of Bend Wednesday that came within about 200 feet of some homes, officials said. The Bend Fire Department, along with Forest Service and BLM crews, responded around 11:35 a.m. to the reported fire east of Stenkamp Road and Terry Drive, said Bend

The High Desert Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation facility is under investigation by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The agency confirmed Tuesday to NewsChannel 21 that High Desert Wildlife recently voluntarily gave up its wildlife rehabilitation permit. Michelle Dennehy, the agency’s wildlife communication coordinator, said without the permit, the rehab facility can’t take hold

A fire broke out in a washer for surgical instruments at St. Charles Bend early Wednesday, causing about $200,000 damage, but a fire sprinkler kept the damage from being far more severe, officials said. The blaze prompted closure of some areas of the hospital for a time, as well as the cancellation of all elective

A small fire on a wall outside the business News & Smokes on Northeast Third Street in Bend was quickly extinguished early Wednesday and apparently was sparked by a cigarette improperly discarded in bark dust, fire officials said. Firefighters responded shortly after 7 a.m. to the reported structure fire at 2139 Northeast Third Street, said

A comptroller and bookkeeper for a Bend energy-instrument business has been arrested on 32 felony counts, accused of embezzling nearly $1 million over the past four years, Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel announced Tuesday. Sherrie Lynn Burge, 48, was arrested Monday by Bend police on a warrant after being indicted Friday on the 32

Thousands of taxpayers across Oregon have tax refund money awaiting them, but it’ll soon be harder to get. After state checks expire, two years from their issuance date, there’s a limited window of time to get them reissued before additional requirements apply. “We still have more than 5,000 taxpayers with almost $1 million in expired

With Oregon’s wildfire season at its peak, the Secretary of State’s Office released an audit Tuesday showing that the increasing number and severity of wildfires in recent years is taxing the agency’s other critical missions and programs. The report details how the agency and legislative leaders have not yet adjusted management systems and planning to

With less than a week to go until its back-to-school distribution, The Salvation Army in Bend said Tuesday it has no backpacks or supplies to hand out to families in need. The organization is turning to the Bend community for support to fulfill this need. “We value the importance of education — starting at a

A La Pine man escaped injury early Monday when his car left Huntington Road, hit a tree and was consumed by fire. But he was jailed on DUII and reckless driving charges, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies were dispatched shortly before 6 a.m. after several callers reported a vehicle fire in the area of

The Deschutes National Forest said Tuesday it has lifted the area closure that was put in place for the Sheridan Fire west of Sunriver. Effective immediately, the area closure that was put in place for public and firefighters safety on August 19 has been lifted. In addition, the Wanoga and Edison sno-parks are now open

Twenty-two minutes: That’s how long fire officials say Tim Grayson was ‘dead’ back on May 2.. It took five minutes for paramedics and Bend police to get to the Eastside Safeway. In the meantime, Tim was not without help. “Looked the other way for just a second, and the next thing I knew we were

A 13-acre brushfire that threatened several homes and forced evacuations northwest of Prineville late Tuesday afternoon was traced to two juveniles playing with a lighter, Crook County sheriff’s deputies said. The sheriff’s office, Crook County Fire and Rescue, Prineville police and firefighters with the BLM and Oregon Department of Forestry responded shortly before 5 p.m.

A 16-year-old Redmond girl whose car left the O’Neil Highway west of Prineville Monday morning and flipped upside down in an irrigation canal was home later in the day, bruised but safe, and thankful for two passing motorists who came to her rescue — and may have saved her life. Oregon State Police troopers and

Central Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment levels in July were up for a second straight month, despite relatively normal hiring patterns, the state Employment Department said Tuesday. Regional Economist Damon Runberg said “the rising unemployment rate is likely being driven by our growing labor force, which increased by nearly 1,700 individuals from June to July. Both

With hot and dry conditions expected to continue, increasing numbers of wildfires around the Northwest, and fire suppression resources already responding to a high number of human-caused wildfires around Central Oregon, the Prineville District Bureau of Land Management, the Deschutes National Forest and the Ochoco National Forest, including the Crooked River National Grassland, are implementing

A La Pine man was killed and a California woman was seriously injured in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 97 south of Bend Monday morning, Oregon State Police said. OSP troopers and emergency personnel responded to the crash scene near milepost 145 and the High Desert Museum shortly after 8 a.m., said Capt. Bill Fugate.

Fire investigators confirmed Monday the Pine Mountain Fire burning southeast of Bend and a string of small fires last week south of Sisters are among the 14 recent wildfires believed to have been arson. Authorities announced Sunday that at least 14 wildfires in Central Oregon over the past three weeks are believed to have been

The Cherry Road Fire, burning in southeast Oregon 19 miles west of Homedale, Idaho, has now grown to more than 30,000 acres. the BLM’s Vale District reported Monday. Containment so far is estimated at 10 percent. The fire has spread along the eastern banks of the Owyhee Reservoir, mostly in annual grasses, which create fine,

Cascade Natural Gas crews working on the Bend Westside Replacement Projectwill begin replacing gas lines in the downtown area Monday, officials said. Look for CNG crews working in the area of Northeast Idaho Avenue and Bond Street, moving east. Northwest Idaho Avenue will be closed to through traffic while main installation takes place. Bond Street

Oregon has reduced its spending per student enrolled in higher education by more than 20 percent since 2008. A new report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities said these kinds of cuts are having an impact on students’ potential for success. In addition to cutting services, public universities in the state have raised