Month: January 2017

Delta Air Lines announced Thursday it is adding seven nonstop destinations from Seattle, including Redmond Airport, making 2017 its fifth consecutive year of growth at its Pacific Northwest hub. The other new destinations include: Austin, Texas; Eugene, Oregon; Lihue, Hawaii; Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Nashville, Tennessee, and Raleigh, North Carolina. Flights will be for sale beginning Saturday.

The gymnasium roof collapsed at Highland Magnet School at Kenwood Elementary on Bend’s Westside early Thursday, prompting an immediate closure of all Bend-La Pine schools for two days to conduct roof assessments, later joined by Redmond and Sisters schools.. The remains of the building were demolished later in the day. Redmond closed its schools early

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) – President Barack Obama has expanded the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument in southwestern Oregon, calling it a move to protect its rich biodiversity. The expansion announced Thursday adds about 48,000 acres to a landscape of rich forests, grasslands and shrubs that was established as a monument in 2000. It includes about 5,000 acres

The Deschutes Land Trust announced Thursday it has met a $450,000, three-year challenge from an anonymous Oregon family foundation for the Campaign for Whychus Creek. The land trust successfully raised $450,000 in matching funds from more than 400 supportive donors to meet the match. The funds will be used to conserve and care for lands

A heavy load of snow led to the collapse of the nearly 70-year-old gymnasium at Kenwood Elementary School on Bend’s Westside early Thursday, which led to the immediate closure of all schools in the district for structural inspections. Redmond followed suit later in the day and Sisters Thursday night, all to be closed until next

Two more large portions of a vehicle storage and former KorPine mill building in Bend’s Old Mill District collapsed Thursday, less than a day after a big part of the Hooker Creek facility collapsed under the weight of snow with a roar heard from some distance. There were no injuries, but they were just the

This week’s spate of frightening roof and building collapses around Bend and Central Oregon prompted an advisory update from Bend-area governments Thursday that focuses on what the safe snow load is on roofs and what you should do to ease the danger. Here’s their joint announcement, in full: The collapse of an elementary school gym

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Lane County authorities say one person has died after a fire erupted inside a home in the McKenzie Bridge area. The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/2jGH5ws ) that the identity of the victim has not yet been released. Sheriff’s Sgt. Carrie Carver says firefighters had responded to the Wednesday fire to find the

MISSION, Ore. (AP) – Railroad officials say 11 railroad cars derailed east of Pendleton on the Umatilla Indian Reservation. The East Oregonian reports (https://goo.gl/R6bQLb ) that Union Pacific reported no spills, no hazardous materials involved and no injuries in the Monday night derailment. Railroad spokesman Justin Jacobs says crews have been working since the crash

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – CJ McCollum had 27 points and the Trail Blazers shook of fatigue caused by weather-related travel delays to beat the defending NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers 102-86 on Wednesday night. Allen Crabbe added 24 points off the bench for the Blazers, who have won four straight regular-season games against the Cavs at

Saying it wants to “balance student school days for the 2016-17 school year, and to ensure that our students have access to learning that they deserve,” Bend-La Pine Schools said they were extending the school year to make up for a record five days lost to snowy weather and dicey roads. The district is making

The City of Redmond Transportation Department will begin operations to remove snow from Sixth Street between Black Butte and Forest avenues on Thursday morning. Sixth Street will be closed to all automotive traffic beginning 4:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m., allowing crews to safely operate heavy equipment as they clear snow from the narrowing corridor and

Models of the three proposed sculptures for the Reed Market and 15 th Street roundabout in southeast Bend will be on display at the downtown Bend Deschutes Public Library from January 13-29. The Art in Public Places committee invites the public to comment on the three sculptures proposed for roundabout. The sculpture selected will be

A Southern California couple who went missing on Friday after a visit to Bend were located Wednesday afternoon at Crater Lake National Park. Rangers said they rescued three people after snowstorms forced them to take refuge in a heated restroom in Rim Village. A rotary snowplow cleared a path on the three-mile road from park

The storm has been a mixed blessing for Central Oregon businesses, dealing a financial blow to some and helping others. “Overall, the business has taken about a 60 percent hit on sales,” said Sean Sirvaitis, store manager of Moe’s Foodmart, in Redmond, said Wednesday. Jen Aylward, owner of Just a Little Charm in Bend, said,

Cascade Natural Gas customers who are in areas with a heavy accumulation of snow are being encouraged to inspect their natural gas meter and furnace vent area to make sure there is not a buildup of snow or ice. Although the meters are designed to withstand inclement weather conditions, customers should carefully remove any snow

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has declared a state of emergency due to severe winter storm conditions. Brown said in a news release Wednesday the declaration came at the request of local officials and was based on recommendations from the Oregon Office of Emergency Management. “As snow continues to accumulate and local

Amid a very snowy winter challenging Central Oregonians in various ways, the Oregon Department of Transportation in Bend said Wednesday it’s encountered a problem very familiar to many home and property owners: It’s run out of places to dump all that snow along U.S. Highway 20 and will have to truck it elsewhere. ODOT’s winter

The latest in a string of major snowstorms was starting to move out on Wednesday, leaving very cold temperatures in its wake, but the snow it’s left behind on area roads and sidewalks prompted almost all Central Oregon schools to close again. Put simply, all school districts declared closures — except Crook County schools, which

As the sun broke out Wednesday over Bend’s snowy landscape, city, Deschutes County and other agency officials updated their joint communication with the public about efforts to cope with the snowiest period in recent area history. Snow Accumulations: The Central Oregon area has been impacted by significant snowfall since the beginning of December. Records from