Month: March 2019

The city of Bend’s south Mirror Pond parking lot will undergo construction, starting this month, to improve deteriorating parking lot conditions and increase safety in the area, officials said Tuesday. Construction of the project is expected to begin in mid-March and is scheduled to be completed June 5. There will be minimal disruptions to traffic,

A bipartisan bill authored by current and former foster youth received a public hearing Tuesday before the Oregon Senate Human Services Committee. Senate Bill 745 would expand services that provide young people with the skills needed for a successful transition out of foster care, according to a news release from the group Oregon Foster Youth

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Gov. Kate Brown is urging Oregon lawmakers to pass a measure that would pay for prepaid postage on mail-in ballots. Oregon became the first state in the nation to conduct elections exclusively through mail. The switch was meant to boost voter turnout and the state now boasts one of the highest

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., urged the Trump administration Tuesday to take additional steps to help prevent the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases, in light of reports that parts of the country including Oregon have seen outbreaks of these diseases. “Preventing the spread of contagious diseases in our communities requires an all-hands-on-deck approach,”

The Oregon Senate on Tuesday honored one of the state’s Holocaust survivors for sharing his life story and his experiences during the Holocaust with thousands of Oregon students and community members. Senate Concurrent Resolution 21 – which passed by a 27-0 vote on the Senate floor – honors Alter Wiener for his contributions to Holocaust

Employment rose across Central Oregon in January, compared with the same time last year, yet unemployment levels are essentially unchanged from a year ago, the state Employment Department reported Tuesday. Regional economist Damon Runberg said recent revisions to the employment estimates from last year revealed that the pace of hiring was slower than first estimated

Drug agents conducted a guns-drawn traffic stop at a busy northeast Bend intersection Monday afternoon and arrested two of four men in a car on drug and weapons charges, one also accused of “pistol-whipping” another man earlier in the day, officials said. The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team pulled over a vehicle in the area

Redmond is joining the Central Oregon school districts extending their school year a couple of days to make up some of the time lost to closures due to the recent heavy snowfall. The school district sent this note to parents Monday evening: “Redmond School District Families, In order to recapture a portion of missed instructional

Good Tuesday Morning, Everyone… A strong flow from the west and SW will deliver heavy rain to the valley and snow to the cascades while Central Oregon will see wind driven mixed showers through the afternoon and evening. Highs will be in the mid 40’s and gusty southerly winds will pick up to 10-15 mph.

Bend La Pine Schools held a public forum Monday afternoon to introduce to the public the four finalist candidates for principal of the new Bend high school. The forum was a chance for the public to get to know the candidates and also weigh in on whom they would like to see run the new

The food truck business is booming in Deschutes County. As NewsChannel 21 learned, the growing new dining experience has county health officials adding more help and seeking a fee hike to help cover the added expense. In the last five years, officials say the number of food trucks in Deschutes County has nearly doubled. There

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A man has been arrested on suspicion of intentionally setting more than 20 fires in downtown Portland in recent days. Portland Fire and Rescue said investigators believe Jack Edward Vandorin Young, 42, started more than 20 fires since last Friday. Nine or 10 of those fires were started in the west

Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., released the following statement after conducting an oversight visit Monday morning to the Homestead child detention center in Homestead, Florida: “I have been blessed to watch two wonderful children grow up and share their laughs and tears. And if there’s one thing you learn as a parent, it’s how much we

The Redmond Proficiency Academy announced Monday that the public charter school will be adding two days to its school calendar to increase instructional hours and opportunities for students. RPA, like many Central Oregon schools, lost four days of instruction in early March due to weather-related school closures caused by a historic snowstorm. In an effort

Happy Monday evening, everyone! A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY is in place for the west slopes of the Cascades through noon Tuesday for snowfall on the roadways. Know you’ll see winter driving conditions in the mountains if you are traveling over the next 24-48 hours. Tonight clouds are pushing over the Cascades ahead of a cold

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) – There’s a new leader in the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race after the dogs on musher Nicolas Petit’s team quit on him. Alaska musher Pete Kaiser passed Petit and was the first musher to reach the checkpoint in Koyuk Monday. Koyuk is 827 miles (1,331 kilometers) into the 1,000 mile (1,600

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement Monday on the Trump administration’s budget proposal to Congress: “Trump’s ‘MAGAnomics’ budget means deep cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and other essential resources for seniors and American families — all to free up money for his wall, windfalls for defense contractors, and tax cuts for huge corporations and

The Oregon Senate voted Monday to give foster youth an additional tool to help make themselves self-supporting as they transition into adulthood. Senate Bill 278 – which passed the Senate floor on a 26-0 vote – extends eligibility to the Oregon Housing and Community Services Rent Guarantee Program to individuals between the ages of 16

The Oregon Senate voted Monday to prioritize students over those who claim gambling losses on their Oregon taxes. Senate Bill 212 – which passed by a 16-10 vote on the Senate floor – “alters the state’s tax code to better reflect Oregon’s values,” Oregon Senate Democrats said in a news release, which continues below. The

The Oregon Department of Human Services celebrates National Social Work Month in March to highlight the important work of child welfare staff in the state. Social workers serve in the Child Welfare Program and in other areas at DHS, which helps 1.5 million Oregon residents from birth through the end of life. “Social work is