Month: March 2017

Following a national surge in hate crimes, Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley joined Democratic legislators in the House and Senate to introduce legislation that would strengthen federal laws combating hate speech, threats and attacks. As incidents of hate crimes continue to rise, the National Opposition to Hate, Assault, and Threats to Equality (NO

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Oregon women’s volleyball coach Jim Moore is stepping down after 12 seasons. Oregon announced Wednesday night that Moore is retiring as of May 15. The school said in a statement that Moore and the Ducks “have come to realize that his coaching style is mismatched” with Oregon’s standards. Moore compiled a

A California man who fired a gunshot at a Sunriver rental home early on New Year’s Day, injuring two people, pleaded guilty Thursday to two of the six charges against him, a prosecutor said. Mikhail Pitsul, 21, of Antelope, California, pleaded guilty to one count each of pointing a firearm and another and recklessly endangering

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Gov. Kate Brown says nearly half a million Oregonians may lose health insurance by 2026 under the federal health care overhaul proposal, beginning next year with 80,000 people losing coverage. That could triple the rate of uninsured Oregonians to 15 percent as premiums for older individuals could increase five-fold and roughly

HOOD RIVER, Ore. (AP) – Search teams have recovered the body of a skier who was reported missing on Mt. Hood eight days ago. Sgt. Pete Hughes of the Hood River County Sheriff’s Department said Thursday it appears 57-year-old Steve Leavitt hit a tree while skiing and died on impact. His body was then covered

Oregon’s transportation system is critical to the economy: one in five jobs in the state is transportation- and trade-related, and as a trade-dependent state we rely heavily on exports from farms, forests and factories to support jobs. Two new reports from the Oregon Department of Transportation state that at the state’s current rate of investment,

With a strong winter ski and snowboard season underway and nearly 10 feet of snow at its base, Mt. Bachelor announced Thursday it will offer more terrain and longer lift operating hours this spring than in the past. New this year, the resort will maintain a 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. operating schedule with lift

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – In Oregon’s ultra-liberal city of Portland, protests are a way of life. But the new mayor is taking on the sacrosanct. The City Council approved an emergency ordinance Wednesday that would allow the city to eject disruptive protesters and ban them from council chambers for up to 60 days in some

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A proposal that would privatize the process for transgender individuals to make changes to their birth certificates cleared the Oregon House on Wednesday in a 37-23 vote. Under House Bill 2673, transgenders with Oregon birth certificates would be able to update their names and genders through a private process under the

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Preparing for federal abortion restrictions and health-care cuts, Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill that would ban interference in terminating a pregnancy, and would ensure that health-care services related to reproductive health are fully covered by insurance. Even before a House committee discussed the measure Wednesday, it was generating a lot

(Update: Comments from resident of burglarized apartment) A 28-year-old pro skier who recently was sponsored by a Bend cannabis company was arrested early Wednesday morning, accused of assaulting two women and breaking items at their northwest Bend apartment, then kicking in the door of another apartment and awakening the sleeping residents, police said. Lt. Brian

A Bend man was cited for reckless driving Wednesday night after he veered off Wall Street and sheared off a power pole while reaching for a cellphone, officers said. The crash damaged an adjacent building, blacked out more than 1,100 Pacific Power customers and closed the road for several hours during repairs and pole replacement.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Authorities say they have arrested a man in connection with the slaying of two men southeast of Portland. The Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday evening that 33-year-old Robert Hilands was arrested and booked into jail on charges of aggravated murder and unlawful use of a weapon. Sgt. Brian Jensen said

The Oregon House Higher Education Committee voted Tuesday to authorize the issuance of $70 million in state bond funds to be dedicated to further expansions of Oregon State University-Cascades. The funds will be used to build new academic facilities, including a Student Success Center and a Graduate and Research Center, among other projects. “The continued

SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Damian Lillard scored 36 points and the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-106 on Wednesday night, spoiling LaMarcus Aldridge’s return from a health scare. C.J. McCollum added 26 points for the Trail Blazers, who were coming off a 23-point loss in New Orleans on Tuesday. Aldridge had 19

This winter’s snowfall was unlike anything Central Oregon has seen in a while, and one place dealing with the lasting impacts are the region’s golf courses. The owner of Widgi Creek Golf Course, Barry Helm, said he’s been here for 13 years and it’s the most snow he’s seen. And with the extensive damage we

Demolition of the former Ray’s Food Place in southwest Bend is underway after heavy snow collapsed the roof in January. Crews were working to haul away the collapsed roof Wednesday, but people can still expect to see some of Ray’s in the future. “We’re keeping all the exterior walls. They’re all structurally sound, and everything

In a 4-3 vote on Tuesday evening, the Prineville City Council narrowly approved the first reading of a small change to the wording of the current recreational marijuana code, revisiting it to clarify its relationship with state law — and make an even taller burden to ever allowing recreational marijuana to be sold in the

Ten Central Oregon residents were arrested in connection with a drug investigation that included raid late Monday night on a southwest Redmond home that turned up methamphetamine, heroin and a substance used to “cut” those drugs and increase the amount that can be sold, police said Tuesday. Redmond police officers, the department’s Street Crimes Unit

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Even anarchists enjoy smooth roads. A group billing itself Portland Anarchist Road Care has taken to the streets, not to promote disorder but to repair potholes after a rough winter. The group has a Facebook page that shows masked workers repairing five potholes in southeast Portland. In a message posted to