Month: August 2018

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore, on Thursday asked the U.S. Agriculture Department to designate Sherman, Wasco and Jefferson counties as agricultural disaster areas in the wake of recent wildfires. The Oregon senators’ request came in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue in support of the same request by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown.

Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., a senior member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement after the Trump administration finalized a freeze of fuel economy standards for cars: “The only way it makes sense to scrap these fuel standards is if you are determined to do the fossil fuel industry’s bidding, no

Jamie McLeod-Skinner, Democratic candidate for Oregon’s 2nd Congressional District, issued a personal invitation to a round of debates with Rep. Greg Walden while attending the Chief Joseph Days Parade in Joseph. McLeod-Skinner followed up with further details on Tuesday in a letter hand-delivered by McLeod-Skinner to Rep. Walden’s office in Bend. “I enjoyed meeting Congressman

Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced Thursday that the U.S. Department of Interior Appropriations bill has passed the full Senate as part of a 2019 funding package, providing critical investments in wildfire suppression and recovery activities that are of particular importance to Oregon as wildfires rage across hundreds of thousands of acres. Here’s

The Breakfast of Champions Annual Awards Banquet is scheduled for 7:30 on Tuesday, October 2 at the Riverhouse Convention Center. The event is an annual fundraiser/friend-raiser for Healthy Beginnings in support of its free screening services for children in Central Oregon. An important component of the Breakfast is to recognize local Champions for Children. In

A Bend police officer was legally justified in firing his gun seven times at a Bend man pulled over for a traffic infraction who pulled out a gun and killed himself with a single shot, Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel said Wednesday. Two of the seven gunshots Officer Timothy Williams fired into a Toyota

New research from Oregon State University shows that a big earthquake can not only cause other quakes, but large ones — and on the opposite side of the Earth. The findings, published Thursday in Scientific Reports, are an important step toward improved short-term earthquake forecasting and risk assessment. Scientists at Oregon State University looked at

Good Thursday Morning, Everyone… High pressure over the region will continue to deliver plenty of sunshine today, but cooler temps will prevail. Highs will be right around our average of 87 degrees and NW winds will pick up to 10-20 mph with gusts to 30 mph. Skies will be mostly clear tonight. Lows will be

A two-month investigation of an alleged heroin dealer led to a raid Wednesday evening on his southeast Bend home and his arrest during a traffic stop, as well as four others either at his home or stopped as they drove away, authorities said. The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team began its investigation in June and

Take a friend new to the sport out hunting this year–you might win a prize! The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife launched its second Take a Friend Hunting contest Wednesday. Hunters who take someone new to the sport out hunting–or even someone who just hasn’t hunted in several years–can enter to win prizes including

Shoe prints on a dirt and gravel road lead to the arrest of a 32-year-old man Wednesday in the Juniper Canyon area southeast of Prineville, accused of breaking into a nearby home’s storage building and stealing more than $1,000 worth of remodeling supplies. A Crook County sheriff’s deputy was dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. to

The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department said Wednesday it is seeking public comment on proposed rules that would allow the agency to implement flexible rates for state park campsites. The proposed rule would allow OPRD to vary campsite rates within a set range. Under the rule, OPRD could charge a slightly higher rate at high-demand

Happy Wednesday evening, everyone! A RED FLAG OR FIRE WEATHER WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE EAST SLOPES OF THE CASCADES THROUGH 10 P.M. TONIGHT FOR GUSTY WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS. Tonight we’ll see breezy conditions with winds gusting 25 miles per hour out of the northwest. We’ve seen big improvements to our visibility and

Senator Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., used his seat on the Senate Appropriations Committee Wednesday to help address a hostile work environment for women in the U.S. Forest Service, who have reported sexual harassment as they serve on the front lines fighting wildfires, and then experienced retaliation for reporting the abuse. PBS NewsHour published an extensive report

The Oregon Health Authority commemorates World Breastfeeding Week to raise awareness of the state’s breastfeeding law. The celebration is held every year from August 1-7 in more than 120 countries. OHA is a supporter and proponent of breastfeeding. The health benefits associated with breastfeeding are significant. Because of this, Oregon Revised Statute 109.001 protecting a

Oregon Medical Marijuana Program inspectors will fan out across the state during August to inspect grow sites that reduced the number of patients designated to be grown for at their locations to fewer than three. Growers growing for fewer than three patients are not legally required to use the Cannabis Tracking System (CTS) administered by

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon’s labor commissioner has accused political leaders in the Legislature and officials in the state Capitol of permitting “a generally hostile environment based upon sex.” In his complaint, Labor Commissioner Brad Avakian said Senate President Peter Courtney and House Speaker Tina Courtney, all Democrats, and others failed to act quickly on

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., introduced legislation Wednesday that would require the U.S. Census Bureau to ensure the approximately 10 million Americans who identify as LGBTQ are properly counted in Census data collection. “Despite the progress our country has made, LGBTQ Americans are still facing discrimination in many aspects of their lives, including

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Court of Appeals has ruled that the sale of a tract of the Elliott State Forest to a private timber company was illegal. The ruling Wednesday overturns the sale of 788 acres to the Seneca Jones Timber Company and is a victory for environmental groups who had sued to

Here are the results of Tuesday’s KTVZ.COM poll, asking if you’re worried about 3D-printed plastic guns being misused: Are you worried about 3D-printed plastic guns being misused?Yes – 61% (477 votes)No – 39% (303 votes)Total Votes: 780