Month: June 2017

THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) – A motorcyclist died while trying to avoid a load of timber that spilled from a U.S. Forest Service truck and onto Highway 35 in Hood River County. The lumber spilled Monday from the truck’s lumber rack while it was negotiating a curve in the highway. The motorcyclist, 66-year-old David Bruce

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – A southern Oregon man who fatally shot an intruder two months ago won’t face charges. The Jackson County District Attorney’s Office said Monday that 26-year-old Christopher Haase of Rogue River acted in self-defense when he fired a single rifle shot that killed David Anthony Vaughn. Prosecutors said Vaughn entered the mobile

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon man who took part in the occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge has been sentenced to six months of home detention. Geoff Stanek pleaded guilty to conspiracy months before the 2016 trial in which occupation leader Ammon Bundy and six others were found not guilty. Stanek’s early acceptance

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday issued a “public information bulletin,” similar to the information other law enforcement agencies have distributed, regarding the impacts of thousands of Rainbow Family members heading to a gathering on the Malheur National Forest. Here it is, in full: The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has information that the Rainbow

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A Portland woman says she used a car jack to break a window after spotting a dog stuck inside of a Mercedes in 89 degree weather with little air. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2sU4lch ) Shawna Harch published her account on an online blogging platform on Saturday where she explained that she

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Alaska Airlines is offering a charter flight over the Pacific Ocean this Aug. 21 that will allow select passengers to view the astronomical event from the sky. The company said Monday that the flight will take off at 7:30 a.m. Pacific from Portland, Oregon and is by invitation-only for astronomers and

WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) – State and local officials say people in 50 homes south of Wenatchee have been told to get ready to leave because of a growing grass fire. State Department of Natural Resources fire officials said on Twitter that the fire that began Monday had grown to an 7 square miles by Monday

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced Monday a letter to Congressional Budget Office Director Keith Hall, asking the agency to examine and make public an analysis of the Senate Republican health bill’s Medicaid cuts beyond the 10 year budget window. This analysis is needed, Wyden said, because the legislation’s most draconian

(Update: More comments from Hummel, Bend police) A 73-year-old resident of a southeast Bend assisted living center, arrested on dozens of arson and other charges in a weekend fire that forced evacuation of the facility, has been released pending the results of an investigation into what happened, the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office said Monday.

Mt. Bachelor announced Monday that it will offer scenic chairlift rides and RV parking during the solar eclipse, opening up new opportunities to view the eclipse away from the congested Highway 97 corridor. The resort plans to open its Pine Marten chairlift for rides to the 7,800-foot elevation starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, August

This week, leaders of the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) and Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR) announced their shared support of Bethlehem Inn’s Capital Campaign. Leaders of COBA and COAR are encouraging members of their respective organizations to support construction of the Inn’s family residential and service hub building with either personal or corporate

There were high winds and high temperatures this past weekend, which made for the perfect environment for trees to come crashing down. In Pine Nursery Park, a tree toppled down just moments after a softball tournament had been called off due to lightning in the area Sunday evening. A set of bleachers and a backstop

The Redmond Area Park and Recreation District wants to expand — by consolidating. It’s planning a new center that would combine everything in one location, and is seeking your input at a public meeting this week.. Right now, it’s spread out all over the city. It’s got a pool, half basketball court, and a weight

Redmond Area Park and Recreation District is conducting a Recreation Center feasibility study to look at the programming and operational needs of a new Recreation Center. The study will prioritize the needs and desires for upgrading and improving recreational facilities and services and determine the current and future level of services for the community, based

We’re only five days into summer, and already Jefferson County has seen its fair share of fire. In fact, fire district crews were called to four fires in 36 hours. Joe Krenowicz is the executive director for the Madras Chamber of Commerce. With a big summer tourism season expected, he’s worried about what’s to come.

(Update: Fire at 2,400 acres, 35 pct. contained; another small fire, more lightning) The fire that broke out Sunday evening on the hill behind the Indian Head Casino on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation grew to about 2,400 acres by late Monday, due primarily to crews’ burnout operations that also moved it to 35 percent

(Update: Adding ODF fire danger raised in Sisters area) Hot and dry temperatures have prompted fire officials for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and Crooked River National Grassland along with the Prineville District of the Bureau of Land Manager to raise the fire danger to high officials said late Friday. Meanwhile, forecasters issued a

(Update: OSP releases names details of crash) A Bend man and a Eugene woman were killed and two other people were injured, one critically, in a multiple-vehicle crash Sunday afternoon on U.S. Highway 20 near the entrance to Black Butte Ranch, Oregon State Police reported Monday. OSP and emergency workers responded to the crash around

A Redmond man was cited after his watercraft crashed into the rocky shore of Lake Billy Chinook late Saturday afternoon, throwing five of seven occupants from the boat and sending three to the hospital, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies said. The crash was reported shortly before 5:30 p.m. on the Metolius Arm of the lake, near

(Update: Bend Fire says train’s faulty brakes sparked blazes) A string of small fires that broke out along the railroad tracks in Bend and Redmond Monday morning were sparked by faulty brakes on a passing southbound freight train, officials said. The first two fires were tackled shortly after 9 a.m. along Highway 97 north of