Month: December 2016

In the first interview he’s granted since he was dismissed as head coach of Oregon, Mark Helfrich says he reached out to former coach Chip Kelly a couple of weeks ago when he thought he could be fired. Helfrich tells ESPN Radio that he reached out to Kelly, now the San Francisco 49ers coach, when

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — The Medford City Council has approved changes to zoning laws allowing the sale of recreational marijuana within city limits. The Mail Tribune in the southern Oregon town reports (http://bit.ly/2gR8Myx) that six members of the council voted unanimously Thursday night to allow marijuana shops in various commercially zoned areas. Councilor Clay Bearnson

A tragic, nearly fatal crash on a busy Bend street – the second involving a pedestrian in a day – has put a renewed focus on the issues of pedestrian safety. Around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, a Bend woman was struck by a car as she attempted to cross Mt. Washington Drive in front of the

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency says it plans to require mining companies to show they have the financial wherewithal to clean up their pollution, so taxpayers aren’t stuck footing the bill. Friday’s announcement follows a 2015 court order for the agency to enforce a long-ignored provision in the 1980 federal Superfund law.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A man and woman are facing federal indictment for attempting to break into a fee collection box at an entrance to Crater Lake National Park. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2gQFkIK ) that an indictment filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Medford says the pair tried repeatedly to break open the container

On Tuesday, November 29, members of the Deschutes Children’s Foundation Board of Directors joined Executive Director Amy Ward to accept a $10,000 donation presented by Credit Unions Working Together, the title sponsors of the 2016 Great Drake Park Duck Race. “We are so thankful for this donation, which supports both our Nature Playscape project and

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) — The Pendleton Round-Up has been named the best large outdoor rodeo by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for the second year in a row. The East Oregonian reports Friday (http://bit.ly/2fQrtQR) that to lasso the title two years running, the Round-Up made some changes this year. Those included installing a gourmet pop

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A Hillsboro man has been sentenced to jail time after being among the first people to be convicted under Oregon’s new law banning so-called “revenge porn.” The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2h2NL6Y ) that 31-year-old Benjamin Barber on Thursday was sentenced to six months in jail for uploading sexually explicit videos of a

HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) — A 4-year-old macaw named “Bird” is an instant celebrity after appearing in a posed booking mug shot in Oregon with his unfortunate owner. The Washington County Sheriff’s Department says Craig Buckner left Bird in a tree outside court while he went in for an appearance Thursday. But Sgt. Bob Ray says

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Eugene-area residents are uneasy following Gov. Kate Brown’s proposal to permanently close a new, $130 million psychiatric hospital there. The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/2h2MEDZ ) that Brown on Thursday suggested closing the 18-month-old Junction City hospital to help fix a large health care budget hole. The proposal calls for permanently closing the

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The mother of an 11-year-old boy who died after a tree struck the car they were riding in is seeking $5 million for her physical and psychological injuries. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2gOPnyf ) Susan Graham filed a lawsuit Wednesday against two Portland property owners, alleging they failed to recognize that a

The House GOP Steering Committee on Thursday elected Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., to serve as the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/1CJNCi ) the appointment will give Walden oversight of federal departments in charge of consumer protections, food and drug safety, public health, environmental quality and energy policy,

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Quinndary Weatherspoon scored 21 points and Mississippi State used a big first half to beat Oregon State 74-57 on Thursday night. Weatherspoon had missed the previous two games because of a left wrist injury. The sophomore guard was 6 of 7 from the field and 4 of 5 on 3-pointers and

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown presented her budget proposal for the next biennium Thursday, aiming to address a $1.7 billion shortfall while maintaining funding for critical areas, including education and health care. In her proposal to the Legislature, Brown proposes closing a loophole in so-called pass-through taxes, increasing a tobacco tax and

Police on Thursday identified a 62-year-old Bend woman who was struck and critically injured on Mt. Washington Drive Wednesday night, Bend’s second serious car-pedestrian crash in less than a day. Carolyn Stanfill was reported to be in critical condition Thursday afternoon at St. Charles Bend, where she was rushed after the crash, reported at 8:22

A change in federal law that would expand overtime pay for millions of Americans was blocked by a federal judge last week, and might not survive. About 4 million Americans were set to gain eligibility for overtime pay under the law, which would have taken effect Thursday. In anticipation of the law, businesses spent months

In a letter to the Department of Justice, Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., called on the department to continue investigating all instances of reported hate crimes in the U.S. and to prosecute perpetrators of such crimes. Wyden and Merkley specifically noted that reports of hate crimes against Muslims, Jews, African-Americans and LBGTQ individuals

Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., has joined an amicus brief of 20 current and former members of Congress supporting the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s appeal of a judicial decision that threatens its independent structure. The brief was filed this week in the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals. The brief was led by Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA)

LONGVIEW, Wash. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has criticized as “inadequate” a draft study the Army Corps of Engineers did on a proposed coal-export project in Washington state. The EPA says the corps’ draft environmental review is “flawed” because it fails to take a hard look at potential environmental impacts, such as air quality,

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Central Florida’s Scott Frost says he isn’t a candidate for the Oregon coaching job and is committed to staying at UCF. Frost said Thursday that he’s happy in Orlando and wants to continue building on the strides the Knights took this year in his first season at the American Athletic Conference