Month: October 2017

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – America’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights organization has endorsed the re-election bid of Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, the nation’s first openly bisexual governor. The Human Rights Campaign, based in Washington DC, announced its endorsement of the Democratic incumbent Wednesday. Group President Chad Griffin called Brown a champion of

In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, urbanization doesn’t necessarily correspond to an increase in water usage, according to economists at Oregon State University. Instead, they predict that water use in growing cities in the valley will stay about the same, or decrease, when surrounding irrigated farmland is converted to housing. The findings are published in the journal

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A Portland middle school science teacher has been indicted on harassment charges that accuse him of “offensively touching” three young people. News outlets reported that a grand jury indicted 44-year-old Sean Benton on three counts of misdemeanor harassment last week. Court records show Benton “intentionally harassed and annoyed” a female student – who

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon man has been sentenced to 15 years and eight months in prison for fatally shooting his wife. The Mail Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2xZNRDQ ) 46-year-old Wade Eugene Phillips was sentenced on Tuesday after entering guilty pleas in late September to first-degree manslaughter and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon.

Three police pursuits onto public land east of Redmond late last week led to two drivers’ arrests and a police reminder that much of the land has been posted as no trespassing, or is designated for daytime use only. Shortly after 1 a.m. Friday, a Redmond officer tried to pull over a 1999 Ford Contour

Bend police responding to several alarms at the Westside Church encountered and arrested a masked, armed burglar carrying a crowbar who allegedly damaged the exterior in several places in an attempt to gain entry, officers said. Police responded shortly after 4 a.m. to the reported alarm at the church on Northwest Shevlin Park Road, said

The Bend Park and Recreation District was presented with a number of policy questions Tuesday evening to help guide current and future management of athletic fields. Some of those topics include the best times of day for youth and team activities, where practices should be scheduled, future field rest and recovery times, and the possibility

A key takeaway from tragedies like the Las Vegas mass shooting is assessing police response to the situation. Experts in mental health and crisis response from across the Pacific Northwest gathered in Bend Tuesday to discuss situations like this. No one knows yet how much mental health problems had to do with the shooting, but

(Update: Adding comments from passers-by, homeowner) An ember from the chimney apparently sparked a roof and attic fire at a southwest Redmond home Monday night, but passers-by alerted the homeowners and occupants got out with no injuries reported, officials said. The owners of the home in the 2900 block of Southwest 41st Street were alerted

Fuels specialists on the Deschutes National Forest’s Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District are scheduled to conduct three prescribed burns about 10 miles northwest of La Pine on Wednesday and Thursday. On Wednesday, PIT 18, just west of Wake Butte and south of Upper Deschutes Road (Forest Road 40) is scheduled to be burned. The 173-acre unit

(Update: Arrest made in case) PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Police have released the name of the woman found murdered in a southeast Portland apartment complex. The Portland Police Bureau says 26-year-old Lila Streeter was found in the apartment Monday after police were called to check on her because family members said she had been assaulted by

Monday’s KTVZ.COM Poll found a split opinion on whether now — in the aftermath of a mass shooting — is the right time to discuss ways to reduce gun violence. Here are the results: Is the aftermath of a mass shooting an appropriate time to talk about ways to reduce gun violence? Yes – 50%

The Deschutes County Health Department gave the Laidlaw Water District in Tumalo the all-clear Tuesday to lift a boil-water notice and for customers resume using the water. The district issued the notice on Sept. 21 after routine tests found E. coli in the water. That meant the water district’s 130 customers, including several businesses and

Beginning Monday, yhe northbound lane on Purcell Boulevard from Neff Road to Full Moon Drive will close for two to three months for construction of a much-needed sewer line, city officials said Tuesday. The Neff / Purcell Sewer Line is the final phase of the Southeast Interceptor which has progressed along 27 th Street. The

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) – Police in southern Oregon arrested a 15-year-old girl in the killing of her father, and two men are also charged in the death. Medford police said Tuesday they believe 50-year-old Aaron Friar was killed with a weapon while he was sleeping. They say his daughter and two men – 22-year-old Russell Jones

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) – Oregon State University and Corvallis community members came together on campus to talk about race and reconciliation. The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports (http://bit.ly/2g93T4w ) the discussions, which took place Monday, are part of a process to evaluate the names of four buildings on the Corvallis campus whose namesakes may have held racist views,

Over the last few weeks, cooler temperatures and increased precipitation has reduced the fire danger throughout lands protected by Oregon Department of Forestry in Central Oregon. As a result of this reduced fire danger, the Regulated Closure in ODF’s Central Oregon District terminated at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday. These restrictions were in place to limit human-caused

CRESWELL, Ore. (AP) – Protesters staged a rush-hour demonstration against a pro-marijuana measure that’s on the ballot next month in Creswell. If approved, marijuana retailers would be allowed in the town south of Eugene. The Register-Guard reports (https://is.gd/15bQXI ) about 80 protesters urged passing motorists to reject it, earning supportive hoots and honks from some drivers

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – An Oregon man who has been convicted of masturbating in public at least five times in the past two years was sentenced to 2.5 years in prison. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2xYzvnq ) William James Wimberly Jr., who was arrested most recently in February after being spotted strolling the aisles of a Portland

WASHINGTON (AP) – A U.S. senator wants to know how well prepared the country’s top voting machine manufacturers are against hackers. In letters shared with The Associated Press, Sen. Ron Wyden asks the CEOs of six election technology firms to answer a range of questions detailing how they protect sensitive voter data and test their own