Month: February 2019

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Democratic Rep. Earl Blumenauer says he won’t attend President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech. In a statement, Blumenauer, who represents Oregon’s 3rd District, said he has skipped Trump’s previous two State of the Union addresses as well. Blumenauer said the president’s recent behavior had resulted in “damage, division and

SEATTLE (AP) – Washington could become the first state to legalize human composting. KIRO-TV reports a proposed bill that would allow for human composting, also known as “recomposition,” is moving through the Washington State Legislature. Katrina Spade is the CEO of Recompose, the company aiming to be the first to build a facility for human

Gov. Kate Brown announced Monday the launch of the Governor’s State Employees Food Drive, the 37th annual partnership with the Oregon Food Bank that has resulted in millions of dollars raised to support the more than 260,000 Oregonians who receive food from a food pantry each month. All state agencies, commissions, board members, and employees

(Update: Snowfall delays roundabout project resumption) Roundabout construction was planned to resume Monday at the intersection of Empire Avenue and Purcell Boulevard, but the snowy weather has prompted an indefinite delay. Crews will begin work as weather allows, officials said. The earlier announcement: Two-way traffic will generally be maintained. There will be minor traffic impacts

When entrepreneurs are feeling exhausted but can’t afford the time for adequate sleep, they may be able to replenish their energy with mindfulness exercises such as meditation, new research from Oregon State University indicates. “You can’t replace sleep with mindfulness exercises, but they might help compensate and provide a degree of relief,” said Charles Murnieks,

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) – Public health officials say there are now 51 confirmed measles cases in the Pacific Northwest and seven suspected cases. Authorities said that 49 of the cases are in southwest Washington state, one is in Seattle and one in the Portland, Oregon area. In Clark County, Washington, 42 of the patients were

SEASIDE, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon Department of Justice has reached a settlement with a couple over their handling of the Miss Oregon scholarship program. Seaside City Councilor Dana Phillips and Seaside School District board president Steve Phillips agreed to pay $150,000 to the Oregon Community Foundation for the Tiffany Phillips Memorial Scholarship Fund, named

The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Alert returned home Friday following a 60-day counter-drug patrol in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, seizing more than $83 million worth of cocaine during the deployment, officials said Monday. The crew interdicted two suspected drug smuggling vessels, yielding more than 5,700 pounds of seized cocaine while patrolling international waters

The Public Utility Commission of Oregon is hosting a hearing on Thursday evening to obtain public comment on the proposed sale of Sunriver Water, LLC to NW Natural Water of Oregon, LLC (Oregon Water). The hearing will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Great Hall, Landmark Rooms 1 and 2, 57081 Great Hall Loop,

Twenty-five years into a 100-year federal strategy to protect older forests in the Pacific Northwest, forest losses to wildfire are up and declines in bird populations have not been reversed, new research shows. The findings, published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, underscore the importance of continuing to prioritize the safeguarding

(Update: NWS corrects Bend precipitation numbers) January’s weather in Bend was warmer and drier than average, the National Weather Service said Saturday. According to preliminary data from the NWS Pendleton office, Bend’s average temperature was 34.9 degrees which was 2.2 degrees above normal. High temperatures averaged 44.5 degrees, which was 3.4 degrees above normal. The

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon Secretary of State Dennis Richardson says he will be scaling back in-office hours to rest and give his treatment for brain cancer every opportunity to succeed. Richardson said Monday he’s grateful for countless well wishes and prayers. His cancer diagnosis was made last May. Richardson, the most senior Republican holding

Every year there seems to be a new wonder diet, yet as a community, we are still struggling with weight and the associated problems like heart disease and diabetes. There are proven methods that can help people who are interested in making positive, lifelong lifestyle changes, and getting off the diet roller coaster. The Crook

Helping your neighbors and their families stay warm just got easier. Pacific Power will match every dollar you donate to the Oregon Energy Fund with $2 more. Pacific Power customers who receive their bills by mail will find it includes an Oregon Energy Fund contribution envelope in February. Customers who pay their bills electronically can

(Update: Adding video, victim’s comments) A Bend man was arrested early Sunday after he allegedly forced a motorist to drive him downtown, got a cab and robbed that driver at knifepoint, struck a Bend Walmart shopper in the head with an Airsoft gun and broke water lines while hiding in a maintenance area, flooding the

The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services’ Division of Financial Regulation investigated nearly 4,000 insurance complaint cases and recovered more than $4 million for Oregonians in 2018. Money recovered for insurance consumers typically comes from disputed settlements and underpaid claims. Claim denials and delays topped the list of reasons consumers filed complaints. Denials and

BOISE, Idaho (AP) – Recent data compiled by Idaho health officials show about 3,800 school-age children in the state likely are not fully immunized for the measles. The Idaho Statesman reports there is a measles outbreak in Clark County, Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon, with at least 47 confirmed cases. While no

FOREST CITY, Iowa (AP) – Winnebago Industries says it’s shifting to its Forest City, Iowa, campus the production of Class A diesel motor homes from the company plant in Junction City, Oregon. Winnebago announced Monday that the change will consolidate product development, supply chain and assembly for the company’s diesel motor home business. Winnebago Vice

The Bend Police Department Citizens Academy has received recognition as a national and regional model and continues to be a highly popular program in the Bend community. This class is held in the spring and meets once a week for nine weeks. The goal of the program is to inform and educate participants about the

SEATTLE (AP) – Western Washington was hit Monday by a major winter storm, with several inches of snow, cold temperatures and bone-chilling winds. Numerous school districts have closed for the day, including Seattle, Everett, Bellevue and Tacoma. The heaviest snows are in Snohomish and eastern King County. North Bend has reported 10 inches of snow,