Month: September 2018

The National Science Foundation announced that it has awarded a coalition of academic and oceanographic research organizations a five-year, $220 million contract to operate and maintain the Ocean Observatories Initiative. The coalition, led by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, with direction from the NSF and guidance from the OOI Facilities Board, will include the University

Good Wednesday Morning, Everyone… It was another chilly night here on the High Desert, but clouds that pressed in last night were quick to make an exit this morning. After a cool day yesterday and a cold night last night, we are looking for a repeat today. With plenty of sunshine, today’s highs will be

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.,asked key congressional leaders Wednesday to maintain provisions in the Farm Bill that support key protections against diseases threatening hops production in Oregon and nationwide. Wyden and three other senators wrote leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture committees that their request comes as the U.S. hops industry faces the costly problem

The Oregon Homeownership Stabilization Initiative has released a new program designed for homeowners who are on a fixed income and struggling to make their mortgage payment, NeighborImpact reported Tuesday. For qualifying individuals, the Principal Reduction program will pay up to $50,000 to reduce the unpaid principal balance of the mortgage so that the loan may

Bobcats from as far and wide as Texas, Minnesota and Hawaii will start arriving at Central Oregon Community College’s Wickiup residence hall for “Move-in Day” on Thursday, with fall term for the school commencing next Monday. “Right now, we have 285 students expected to move in but are still processing applications,” said Stephanie Bilbrey, COCC’s

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley urged federal officials Tuesday to publish training materials in Spanish as well as English for wildfire crews battling dangerous blazes in Oregon and the West. The letter from Wyden and Merkley as well as California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris follows a disturbing report that the National Wildfire

More than 500,000 acres have been burned, and about 4,000 Oregonians have been warned to evacuate their homes this wildfire season. Over 300 earthquakes have also shaken the state this year, including a 6.2 magnitude quake just off the coast in August. These alarming facts mean it is critical for Oregonians to get prepared for

Two Bend-La Pine Schools students have earned top academic recognition as National Merit Semifinalists. Sandro Ditta, senior at Bend Senior High School, and Joan Song, senior at Summit High School, are among more than 190 students in Oregon to earn this prestigious distinction from the National Merit Scholarship Program. “These two students deserve recognition for

A startup company that promised to deliver board games based on the popular sci-fi movies “The Terminator” and “Evil Dead 2” failed to deliver on its promise, earning itself an F rating from Better Business Bureau. The company, Space Goat Production has received 14 complaints from consumers who allege the company failed to deliver products

This week, the Oregon FBI’s Tech Tuesday segment has a timely topic: Building a digital defense against disaster charity fraud. With Hurricane Florence hitting the east coast last week, and the ongoing disaster recovery efforts stretching from Hawaii to Puerto Rico, you need to be able to tell the legitimate charities from the frauds. It

Morrow County Sheriff Ken Matlack said Tuesday he “recently returned from a trip to Washington D.C. focused on immigration reform, and one of the projects announced is poised to have a major impact on the safety and security of the American people.” Sheriff Matlack and the group of 43 sheriffs from 35 states announced the

(Update: Adding Oregonian/OregonLive analysis of findings, researcher response) Teachers in Oregon earn significantly less than similar workers in the private sector, even after taking into account benefits such as retirement and health care, according to a report released Tuesday by the Oregon Center for Public Policy. “Oregon teachers deserve a raise,” OCPP policy analyst Daniel

The Family Access Network recently received a $1,000 grant from Trinity Episcopal Church in Bend. These funds will be used to provide 10 children and family members in Central Oregon with crucial basic-need resources such as housing, health care, warm clothing, nutritious food and much more. “We’re so lucky to have Trinity Episcopal Church in

Happy Tuesday evening, everyone! Tonight will be a calm, clear one for Central Oregon. A few clouds will be overhead as we end the day. Sunset should be beautiful SHARE your photos with us if you grab a good one! Temperatures will be in the low to mid 60s around sunset. Overnight we’ll see mostly

Join in on Saturday, Sept. 22 for National Public Lands Day, the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. To encourage people to join in and visit their public lands, the Forest Service is waiving day-use fees at recreation sites across the Pacific Northwest. Many National Public Lands Day volunteer projects are being held

Theater students in Redmond will roll out seven original plays from blank page to theatrical stage in 24 hours, beginning Saturday, Sept. 29, announced Pat Tellinghusen, Redmond High School drama coach. The 24/7 Invitational, formerly only an RHS event, now includes all three Redmond high schools this year, with Redmond Proficiency Academy (RPA) and Ridgeview

This week (Sept.16-22) marks the 30th anniversary of Organically Grown in Oregon Week. The Oregon Department of Agriculture sends congratulations to our organic farmers and ranchers for their contributions to the agricultural community and the state’s economy. Oregon ranks fourth in the nation for sales of organic products, valued at nearly $351 million in 2016.

The city of Sisters and Upper Deschutes Watershed Council are collaborating to enhance and restore Whychus Creek in the reach that flows through Creekside Park and Campground between Locust Street and Highway 20 in Sisters. The city said it worked with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council to hire a consultant that is currently working on

(Update: OLCC corrects info; 5-cent deposit bottles, cans can still be redeemed after Sept. 30) The sale of beverage containers marked with the five-cent refund value will not be allowed past Sept. 30, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission said Tuesday. After that date, only eligible beverage containers bearing the “OR-10¢” refund value may be sold,

(Update: Adding it’s fourth straight month of record-low unemployment) Oregon’s unemployment rate slid a bit, to 3.8 percent in August, which again was Oregon’s lowest unemployment rate since comparable records began in 1976. the state Employment Department reported Tuesday. The August jobless rate was 0.1 below Oregon’s July unemployment rate of 3.9 percent. The U.S.