Month: May 2018

BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Officials say they’re losing the battle against a devastating combination of invasive plant species and wildfires in the vast sagebrush habitats in the U.S. West that support cattle ranching and recreation and are home to an imperiled bird. The Western Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies in a 58-page report released

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s attorney general has released a certified ballot title for an initiative that would restrict the sale of assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in the state. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the new title released Wednesday states that the initiative prohibits assault weapons and large capacity magazines unless the items are registered with

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement Thursday on soaring gas prices ahead of the upcoming Memorial Day holiday weekend. He noted that gas prices have risen more than 25 percent since President Trump took office, hitting nearly $3 a gallon on average nationwide. “Since Trump has taken the wheel, he’s driven gas prices

The wording of the ballot title for a potential Pro-Second Amendment measure was officially changed by a Deschutes County judge on Wednesday, and both sides in the debate think it’s an improvement on the original. The petition is titled the Second Amendment Preservation Ordinance. Two Bend residents separately challenged the ballot title and summary language

To honor the fallen this Memorial Day, Better Business Bureau Northwest + Pacific is doing its part to protect their families and the service members and veterans still with us. Active military members, veterans and spouses in the northwest have reported more than 500 scams with an estimated $94,000 lost in the past year according

Sen. Ron Wyden welcomed Thursday the introduction of 22 bipartisan Medicare, Medicaid and Human Services bills by his colleagues on the Senate Finance Committee as essential pieces of the work to tackle the growing opioid epidemic in Oregon and nationwide. “Congress must take real and lasting action to confront this epidemic that’s devastated far too

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend announced Thursday they will receive a $50,000 grant from Lowe’s to give the Downtown Bend location an interior upgrade. Each of the program areas and administrative offices will receive a fresh new look and are looking to maximize the given spaces without compromising the historical building’s foundation. The grant

Good Thursday Morning, Everyone…Moisture moving in over today’s warm temperatures will once again thicken our cloud cover and deliver a 40% chance of rain showers through the afternoon and evening. Many areas will also see a chance of passing thunderstorms. Highs will be in the mid to upper 70’s and NW breezes will be gentle

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A former Woodburn police officer has been sentenced to 150 days in jail and five years of probation for having sex with an underage girl and soliciting sexual contact from the child online. The Statesman Journal reports that 29-year-old Daniel Kerbs was sentenced Wednesday. He acknowledged two months ago that he

The Oregon Department of Forestry has introduced a new online tool this month that will help community planners and the public learn about wildfire risk across the state. The web-based Oregon Wildfire Risk Explorer was developed in partnership with the Institute for Natural Resources, Oregon State University Libraries and Press, the Oregon Department of Forestry

SELAH, Wash. (AP) – Authorities say 14 vehicles were destroyed in a brush fire in central Washington. The Yakima Herald-Republic reports the fire scorched about a half square mile near Selah on Tuesday. Selah Deputy Fire Chief Jim Lange says the fire threatened several homes and burned up to the U.S. Army’s Yakima Training Center,

SEATTLE (AP) – Amazon, Starbucks, Vulcan and others have pledged more than $350,000 toward repealing Seattle’s newly passed tax on large employers. The Seattle City Council on May 14 unanimously passed the so-called “head tax” that will charge businesses making at least $20 million in gross revenues about $275 per full-time worker each year. Taxes

The Deschutes National Forest partnered with the High Desert Museum for a controlled burn on both of their lands Wednesday, though the learning part of the day’s plans had to shift a day. The just over 120-acre burn began around 10:30 a.m. It was an event a few years in the making. The Forest Service

(Update: Damages estimated at $500,000; cause under investigation) A fire heavily damaged two units of a southwest Redmond apartment complex Wednesday afternoon, causing an estimated $500,000 damage. Two people were taken to St. Charles Redmond with minor injuries, while a dozen were evacuated, officials said. The fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. in a

Sisters is taking a look at how it wants to regulate vacation rentals in the city, and that’s a cause for concern for some rental agencies. Right now, according to the city, there are 67 total vacation rental properties. With the new regulations, the city’s looking to cap the number allowed at 104. Mathew Tesdall,

Happy Wednesday evening, everyone! Thunderstorms will continue for the area heading into sunset tonight. Expect winds to pick up within these storms and downpours are likely. Overall, scattered rain showers will wrap up by midnight tonight. Winds will stay out of the north and northwest gusting around 15 miles per hour. Overnight expect partly cloudy

Deschutes County on Wednesday released its proposed $456.8 million budget for Fiscal Year 2019, including several road and safety projects, creation of a crisis stabilization and sober center and a new sheriff’s deputy dedicated to enforcing marijuana regulations, in coordination with the city of Bend. The county’s Budget Committee, which includes commissioners Tammy Baney, Tony

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., announced Wednesday his cosponsorship of a landmark bill to end the federal prohibition on marijuana. Senator Cory Booker’s Marijuana Justice Act would remove marijuana from the list of controlled substances, making it legal at the federal level. Merkley has been a leader within in the Senate on several marijuana-related issues, spearheading

Here are the results of Tuesday’s KTVZ.COM poll, asking if you support later start times for middle and high school students: Do you support later start times for middle and high school students?Yes – 55% (99 votes)No – 45% (81 votes)Total Votes: 180

Rep. Greg Walden, R-Ore., chairman of the House Energy and Commerce, pressed Olympics leaders for answers Wednesday about the pervasiveness of sexual misconduct within the U.S. Olympic community. During a hearing before the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Walden examined whether the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has adequate policies and procedures