Month: September 2016

Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson said Wednesday a county investigation had cleared him of any wrongdoing in one of two complaints filed against him by former supervisors in his department. Here’s the brief news release from the sheriff, in full: “In June 2016 , I requested Deschutes County to investigate a job-related complaint by a

The Bend field office of the Oregon Liquor Control Commission is moving to a new location. The current location (2146 NE 4 th Street) will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, September 23rd . The new Bend OLCC office will re-open at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 27 th at the new location: 336 SW

September is Suicide Prevention Month, and at NewsChannel 21, we are tackling the difficult subject that is suicide. In our first special report, Samantha O’Connor spoke to a Bend mother who lost her daughter to suicide. Through her loss, she has made steps toward recovery — and you can take part in those steps, too.

A downtown Bend office building, built 30 years ago on the site of famed Klondike Kate’s house, was destroyed by a hot, smoky fire Wednesday morning that sent up a tall plume visible across the city and snarled traffic in the area. No injuries were reported. Bend firefighters responded around 6:20 a.m. to the reported

Recent conflicts and complaints from recreational trail users and residents caused by reckless target shooting at a gravel pit west of Sisters are prompting the Deschutes National Forest to remind local target shooters of their responsibilities when shooting guns in the area. Target shooters frequently use the McKenzie Gravel Pit off of Highway 242. Some

On a bright and sunny day, it’s unusual to see so much water in the middle of Butler Market Road in Bend. A frustrated neighbor sent NewsChannel 21 photos of the irrigation system at the new Canal Row Park, being built right off Butler Market and Brinson Boulevard. “Wow! I mean, are they really going

Consumers in 15 states, including Oregon, and the District of Columbia who purchased dairy products are now entitled to a portion of a $52 million settlement, culminating a massive antitrust lawsuit filed against the nation’s largest dairy producers who allegedly artificially inflated the price of milk and other dairy products by killing hundreds of thousands

The crisis over housing — both affordability and supply — dominated the area’s first debate of the fall campaign, as the Bend Chamber hosted a forum Tuesday evening between four Bend City Council candidates. The after-hours event included City Councilor Sally Russell and her challenger, Wade Fagen, along with Bruce Abernethy, who is running unopposed

Some residents living on Bend’s Westside want the city to do something about the intersection at Northwest Portland Avenue and 11th Street to make it safer for drivers after a crash sent Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel to the hospital. Joe Hovorka lives near the intersection and sees drivers speeding around his neighborhood and

The Department of Human Services Vocational Rehabilitation program is hosting a series of Policy Forums around the state in September. There will be a forum Friday , Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to noon and also from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at Oregon Occupational Safety and Health division, Suite A-115, 1231 N.E. Third St. People

(Update with outcome of cases) A night of drinking at a home in southern Deschutes County led to an attempted rape, threats, several gunshots fired in the air at two locations – in one case, inside a home — and the arrests of two men, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. County 911 dispatchers received calls

Winning $9.4 million playing Oregon’s Game Megabucks didn’t stop truck driver Eric Tackett of Sutherlin from delivering a load of drywall on his way to claim his winnings Tuesday. “It was on the way,” Tackett said as he claimed his winning ticket. Tackett, who works for Smalley Trucking Company in Sutherlin, drove his truck to

One long-time Madras transient stabbed another in the leg during a fight Tuesday afternoon, sending the victim to the hospital for treatment, police said. The suspect was arrested a few hours later. Madras police, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police responded around 4:30 p.m. to the report of a fight between two men

The High Desert Museum announced Tuesday it has joined Museums for All, a signature access program of the Association of Children’s Museums and the Institute of Museum and Library Services to encourage families of all backgrounds to visit museums regularly and build lifelong museum habits. The program will enable low-income families to visit the High

WINCHESTER BAY, Ore. (AP) — Oregon officials say they’ve made an arrest in an all-terrain vehicle crash that killed a Washington state man. Douglas County sheriff’s deputies say two ATVs crashed on the dunes in Winchester Bay late Friday night. The driver of one of the ATVs, 30-year-old Benjamin Wohl, of Poulsbo, Washington, was killed;

Authorities were looking Tuesday for the cause of a late-night fire that destroyed a cabin near Elk Lake and heavily damaged an outbuilding, a U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman said. Oregon State Police and Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were the first to respond to the fire, reported to dispatch at 10:37 p.m. Monday. It was first

Oregon State University–Cascades said Tuesday it has received a gift from a leading Central Oregon-based hotelier family that will support the creation of an endowed faculty scholar position within the university’s recently launched hospitality management program. The position will be the second endowed faculty position at the OSU campus in Bend. The $500,000 gift was

In conjunction with Oregon State University–Cascades’ move to its new campus, a variety of items of surplus office and classroom equipment and supplies will be available to Central Oregon nonprofit organizations and then to the public at events this week. Items available include chairs, bookcases, file cabinets, tables and more. The events will take place

Oregon’s innovative free preschool program, Preschool Promise, begins this month with rolling starting dates in several areas across the state. Oregon’s mixed delivery preschool pilot supports children and families living at 200 percent of the poverty level. Preschool Promise will reach approximately 1,300 children in Oregon. “Economic status should not get in the way of

Cascade Natural Gas crews continue working downtown on their line replacement project this week, with a crew moving into the northwest corner of the Troy Field parking lot Tuesday. Officials said they’ll begin boring for a new 4-inch main gas line installation, closing Troy Field to parking this entire week. A Cascade Natural Gas crew