Month: September 2017

September is National Suicide Prevention Ponth, which is why NewsChannel 21 wanted to share the story of a suicide survivor. Kristin Akin of Redmond attempted suicide, but survived — and now, she has a whole new reason for living. “I was just like, ‘I’m done with this,’ and I didn’t care. I wanted to die,”

Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., asked federal officials Thursday what’s being done to deploy more unmanned aerial systems to fight wildfires raging throughout Oregon and the West. As Ranking Member of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Rep. DeFazio last year authored legislation that directed the Federal Aviation Administration, Department of the Interior,

Thanks to a pair of citizen tips, a Florence woman was found and arrested in the La Pine area Thursday afternoon, hours after allegedly cutting the arm of a friend she was visiting during an argument over a cellphone, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. Deputies were dispatched around 9:35 a.m. to the 5200 block of

Poachers can found on dirt roads in the backcountry, looking to cheat the system and take home big game. Aaron Roth is a senior trooper for the Oregon State Police. It’s his job to patrol areas to check for poaching. That’s kind of why we’re out here just to make sure that everybody has a

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s presidential election primary is held in May during election years, after many other states have already had their primaries. Now, Oregon’s secretary of state, who is also chief elections officer, is asking lawmakers to move the date forward to March, so Oregonians can have a greater say on who the

Oregon State University-Cascades announced Thursday it has received a $1 million gift from Charles McGrath, the founder and president of Grace-Bio Labs of Bend, to help construct the next academic building planned on its new campus. The future building will be the second academic building on the campus and will focus on the STEAM disciplines

A new solar farm is nearing completion in Deschutes County, near Highway 97 between Bend and Redmond. The 95-acre solar farm project site is set to generate nearly 10 megawatts of power for the area, and officials say that is enough for 1,500 homes. The project, which began back in April of 2016, is slated

Wildfires burning in our region could have an impact on hunting season as the firefighters try to contain those blazes. Bowhunters are seeing less wildlife because of the heat and smoke from fires burning across Central Oregon. The Milli Fire is burning in the Deschutes National Forest, and other fires continue to burn in the

Westbound Interstate 84 between Hood River and Troutdale reopened to all travelers just before 6:30 p.m. Thursday, 10 days after the Eagle Creek Fire in the Columbia River Gorge forced closure of the highway. All off-ramps along the 45-mile stretch of road will remain closed. This includes the off-ramps to Cascade Locks. Residents traveling to

Here are the results of Wednesday’s KTVZ.COM Poll, asking whether people support Oregon’s tougher new child passenger safety seat law: Do you support Oregon’s tougher child passenger seat laws? Yes – 66% (277 votes) No – 34% (143 votes) Total Votes: 420

(Update: Statement from suspect’s family; court hearing canceled; sheriff says he should be tried as adult) ROCKFORD, Wash. (AP) – The family of a 15-year-old boy accused of shooting four classmates at a rural high school in Washington state is offering condolences and sympathy to the community. The family of Caleb Sharpe issued a statement Thursday

Elysia Kiyija has been selected as the new Director for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon, a program of J Bar J Youth Services. Elysia, formerly with Hope for African Children in Uganda, has been with Big Brothers Big Sisters making matches and serving kids and families since 2015. Big Brothers Big Sisters of

Bend Memorial Clinic, Central Oregon’s biggest multi-specialty physician group, announced Thursday it has signed a letter of intent to partner with a New Jersey health management company in a bid to cut costs and improve both its finances and patient care. “This landmark venture with Summit Health Management will offer Bend Memorial Clinic great stability

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office announced reduced evacuation levels for the Elk and Lava Lake areas on Thursday. Here’s the announcement from Sgt. Nathan Garibay, the county’s emergency services manager: The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has continued to coordinate with fire managers on the Nash Fire as well as the Deschutes National Forest. Due to

The Family Access Network (FAN) is pleased to announce the hiring of three new FAN advocates: Amy Naegeli, FAN advocate at Edwin Brown Center and Ridgeview High in Redmond; Nicole Stefano, FAN advocate at Lava Ridge Elementary, Sky View Middle School, and Westside Village in Bend; and Whitney Davis, FAN advocate at Jewell Elementary and

Bend Area Habitat for Humanity is pleased to welcome five new families into our Partnership Program for Homeownership. These five families work in our community grocery stores, medical offices, children’s programs and restaurants. Each have struggled to find affordable housing and look forward to the stability they can provide their children through Bend Area Habitat

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – Lane County authorities have arrested a 22-year-old man accused of killing a chicken. Spokeswoman Carrie Carver of the Lane County Sheriff’s Office says Henry Young went onto a private property without permission Monday and killed the bird. Young, who has no known address, was booked into a Eugene jail on charges of animal

(Update: Thursday morning update; lines hold, new size) The Desolation Fire stayed within planned containment lines through Wednesday evening’s gusty winds as firefighters worked through the day and into the night to keep the fire north of Highway 26 and protect nearby homes, officials said.. An overnight infrared flight mapped the fire at 1,568 acres

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Japanese electronics company Panasonic Corp. has announced it will be closing its Salem solar plant in late October after operating for less than a decade. The Statesman Journal reported (http://stjr.nl/2h3D0i5 ) Wednesday that the company is closing the plant because it’s tied to a factory in central Japan, which is shifting its

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, helped pass H.R. 931, the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act of 2017, through the House of Representatives. This legislation will help improve firefighter health by collecting data on the impacts of smoke inhalation while fighting fires. During a speech on the House floor, Walden