Month: February 2017

Union members accounted for 13.5 percent of wage and salary workers in Oregon last year, still above the national figure but a record low for the state in recent years, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Thursday. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Richard Holden noted that the union membership rate for the state was

Police called to an alarm at the McDonald’s on Bend’s Eastside early Thursday morning found an open door, the alarm still sounding and several items out of place. A check of surveillance video confirmed an apparently drunk man had been wandering around in the restaurant for 20 to 30 minutes, but left — likely empty-handed

It’s looking more and more likely that ride-sharing services will be coming to Central Oregon soon, and now a third city is expressing interest. “Ubering it” may soon be a thing in Sisters. “Having that pool of people that can pick you up, you can track them on your phone — people are going to

Bacteria and germs are everywhere, on every surface you touch — but we wanted to know exactly how many germs there are common surfaces. So we visited Bend’s Horizon Broadcasting, to put their employees’ items to the test, and we had some fun with it. After a brief interview with Dave Clemens of Horizon Broadcasting,

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – Damian Lillard scored 33 points, C.J. McCollum added 22 and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Orlando Magic 112-103 on Thursday night to snap a three-game losing streak. After trailing for much of the game, the Trail Blazers rallied in the fourth quarter behind Lillard’s 17 points. Recently acquired center Jusuf

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Deputies seized nearly 100 pounds of methamphetamine worth over $2 million and arrested three people at residences in Portland and Gresham. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/vpzt3Y ) the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office said that investigators served search warrants Wednesday evening at the two homes, also seizing nearly 2 pounds of heroin, pills,

(Update with afternoon hearing, judge’s ruling) With family and friends of homicide victim Kaylee Sawyer looking on, as well as defendant Edwin Lara’s parents, prosecutors and defense lawyers clashed at a Thursday court hearing over the reliability of the Oregon State Police Crime Lab’s handling of DNA evidence. A defense lawyer asked that an independent

The Bend-Redmond metro area was once again in the top 10 list of U.S. cities in home-price appreciation for 2016, despite a nearly flat fourth quarter, federal statistics showed Thursday. The Federal Housing Finance Agency listed Bend-Redmond (a metro area that encompasses all of Deschutes County) as having the eighth-fastest rate of home-price appreciation last

A 29-year-old Prineville man wanted on an outstanding warrant ran from a parked car when a police officer arrived Wednesday evening, prompting a brief chase and nearby arrest, police said. Around 5:15 p.m., police responded to reported drug activity involving a car parked in the area of Northwest Meadow Lakes Drive, said Sgt. Jesse Peterson.

St. Charles Family Care in La Pine, initially expected to open this fall, has been pushed back to April 2018 “due to unanticipated changes to the scope and impact of site improvements and infrastructure upgrades, ” St. Charles Health Systems announced Thursday. Road, utility and site preparation work will begin in March, officials said, and

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon lawmaker says the current state bird is unoriginal, and instead wants to replace it. The Statesman Journal reports (http://stjr.nl/2mbVO3L ) that state Sen. Fred Girod sponsored a resolution to replace the western meadowlark as Oregon’s state bird with the osprey. The Stayton Republican says the meadowlark is also the

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Portland City Council has overturned the Police Bureau’s decision to clear an officer who used force on a bicyclist in September 2014. The council, however, did not suggest Officer Bradley Nutting receive any discipline. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2mgX4iL ) Nutting hit Matthew Klug with a stun gun six times for

The Deschutes Land Trust announced Thursday that it has received a gift of $530,000 for its Campaign for Whychus Creek from Tom and Janet Montag of New York. It represents the largest individual gift of the campaign, with over $1.6 million raised from private individual contributions. A native Oregonian, Tom Montag has long held a

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A jury awarded $750,000 to a black man who said he felt intimidated by racial harassment at Daimler Trucks North America’s manufacturing plant. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (https://goo.gl/dTwUP1 ) the jury found Wednesday that 59-year-old Victor Pierce had been subjected to a racially hostile work environment at the company’s Western Star manufacturing

Redmond firefighters held some special training Wednesday evening with an important new piece of gear, with features that could help save lives. The fire department’s training chief talked about how the new fire engine will allow firefighters to help more people. The training session was held to orient engineers and fire officers with the truck’s

STANFORD, Calif. (AP) – Reid Travis had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead four players in double figures and Stanford beat Oregon State 79-66 on Wednesday night. Marcus Allen also scored 17, Dorian Pickens added 15 and Robert Cartwright had 10 as the Cardinal beat the Beavers for the 21st time in the last

SKOKOMISH, Wash. (AP) – A magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck western Washington near the Hood Canal Wednesday night. The U.S. Geological Survey and the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network reported the temblor hit at 8:59 p.m. about 34 miles west-southwest of Seattle and about 9 miles west of Belfair. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office said on Twitter

Oregon experienced very low snowpack levels in 2014 and historically low snowpack in 2015. Now a new study suggests that these occurrences may not be all that unusual in the future and could become much more common if average temperatures warm just 2 degrees (Celsius). The low snowpack levels were linked to warmer temperatures and

Sen. Jeff Merkley D-Ore., released the following statement Wednesday after President Trump reversed the Justice Department’s policy protecting transgender students. “Our nation should never settle for anything less than full equality and full rights for every single American. This is especially important in our schools, where no student should ever have to fear discrimination simply

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The state of Oregon has filed a motion to join a lawsuit by the states of Washington and Minnesota against President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum filed the motion Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Seattle. The state