Month: December 2016

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An assessment by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs concluded that more than 12 percent of callers to its Portland call center get tired of waiting for someone to answer and hang up. The Statesman Journal reports (http://stjr.nl/2hkveTN ) that many callers have waited more than three minutes to have someone

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Portland City Council has approved a first-of-its-kind tax on public companies that pay their chief executives vastly more than they pay an average worker. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://is.gd/f241Q8 ) that on Wednesday the council approved the plan, which targets publicly traded companies whose chief executives report salaries at least 100

The Oregon Nurses Association filed an unfair labor practice charge Wednesday with the National Labor Relations Board against St. Charles Health System over the hospitals’ policy of requiring that employees get a flu shot (and wear a sticker signifying it) or wear a mask. ONA claims St. Charles violated employees’ rights under the National Labor

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The Eugene City Council has voted against a fireworks ban. The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/2hakIeJ ) a majority of councilors agreed such a policy would be too difficult to enforce. Councilor Betty Taylor pushed for a ban. She argued that a partial one imposed two summers ago because of extreme fire danger

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A Eugene woman has pleaded guilty to embezzling over $200,000 from a nonprofit that promotes career and technical education programs for Oregon high school and community college students. The Register-Guard reports (https://goo.gl/benc6t ) 74-year-old Thelma Clemons pleaded guilty to wire fraud Wednesday related to her attempt to cover up thefts that

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two pedestrians have been struck and killed by motorists in separate incidents in Portland. Portland police said in a news release the first crash happened at 6:55 p.m. Wednesday on SE Division Street near 156th Avenue. Police say despite efforts to save him, the pedestrian died at the scene.

A busy day for Crooked River Ranch Fire and Rescue continued into the cold overnight hours Tuesday as crews fought a blaze that destroyed a detached garage but kept it from reaching a nearby home. It was the department’s second major fire in 12 hours. Homeowner Sue Miller said she saw a glow through her

Landlord-tenant relationships – and the laws that govern them – can be tricky, sticky, complicated and downright messy in practice. So perhaps it’s no wonder that it took more than two hours for the partially lame-duck Bend City Council to wade into the issue Wednesday night and eventually agree to a rules change that they

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington Thursday, prompting Portland to close all city offices and dozens of schools to delay or cancel classes. The service says an unusually strong winter storm will bring with mixed precipitation in the greater

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., released the following statement Wednesday regarding Donald Trump’s nomination of Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt as administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency: “Once again, Donald Trump has picked a special-interest advocate to run an executive agency. Scott Pruitt has spent his career fighting to protect fossil fuel polluters rather than the

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore.,voted Wednesday against the 21 st Century Cures Act because Republican leaders stripped bipartisan, bicameral child welfare legislation out of the final bill. Wyden then asked for unanimous consent that the Senate pass the Family First Prevention Services Act, which has the support of almost 500 child welfare

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo got his second triple-double of the season to lead the Milwaukee Bucks over the Portland Trail Blazers 115-107 on Wednesday night. Antetokounmpo had 15 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists for his seventh career triple-double — second-most in franchise history — and is the only NBA player averaging at least

CODY, Wyo. (AP) — An Oregon man who crashed his pickup into a group of German motorcyclists heading to Yellowstone National Park, killing three, has been sentenced to two years in jail. The Cody Enterprise reports (https://goo.gl/BxiGi8 ) Manuel Defuentes, of Ontario, Oregon, was sentenced Wednesday and was given credit for 181 days he has

Ken Fayal caught a man breaking into his vehicle on camera. “He’s walking around and he comes out of the darkness and just walks deliberately to my truck,” he said Wednesday. The video shows the man rummaging through the truck on Rock Bluff Lane in Bend. “I left my door unlocked, so admittedly that’s my

With temperatures as low as they are, traveling is always difficult — especially if you’re flying. Anyone who’s flown during the winter knows how important de-icing the plane is. There is actually no umbrella policy that all airlines fall under when it comes to de-icing. “Each air carrier has their own de-icing program, and they

The City of Bend Fire Department and Pacific Power wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. Please ensure you and your loved ones stay safe by following these tips and recommendations: The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is unattended cooking, so it’s best to stay in the kitchen and keep an eye

Fuels specialists for the Prineville Bureau of Land Management began burning piles Wednesday three miles southwest of Tumalo. The northern boundary of the 253-acre unit of piles is adjacent to Tumalo Reservoir Road and smoke could be visible from the road. Pile burning will continue Thursday and potentially through the weekend, if conditions remain favorable.

SWEET HOME, Ore. (AP) — Authorities say two loggers were injured in separate incidents in the area of Sweet Home. The Sweet Home Fire District said in a news release that a yarder operator was struck in the legs when a log came through his machine’s cab Monday. Fire district officials took the man to

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — At least one student in the Medford School District has been sickened by bacterial meningitis, and another student may also be ill. The Mail Tribune reports Wednesday (http://bit.ly/2gbOOfN) that the schools involved are Hedrick Middle School and Hoover Elementary School. A news conference was scheduled for later in the day. Jackson

A 28-year-old Madras man has been sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for unlawful possession of a gun, 16 months after his arrest at a Springfield deli, federal officials said. Troy Joseph Minson, Jr.,was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ann Aiken on Tuesday to 57 months in federal prison for unlawful possession of