Month: June 2019

With the passage of Senate Bill 889, Oregon becomes the fourth state to set a spending benchmark to rein in the rising costs of health care. Modeled after a program in Massachusetts, SB 889 creates the Oregon Health Care Cost Growth Benchmark Program, which will set a state spending growth target that all insurance companies,

Starting next Monday, June 24, contractors working for the Ochoco National Forest plan to close short sections of Forest Service Road 30 and Forest Service Road 4250, about 7 miles east of Big Summit Prairie, in order to replace stream culverts. The closures could remain in place for up to 90 days. The affected segments

SEATTLE (AP) — Ahead of a Western wildfire season expected to be again worse than average, officials in Seattle announced Wednesday that five city buildings would be outfitted to serve as havens where residents can go to breathe clean air. The move is in response to several years marked by thick smoke hanging over the

(Update: Adding AP story on day’s events, including trucker protest) SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday she’s willing to extend the legislative session and mobilize the state police if Senate Republicans follow through with a threat to block a vote on a sweeping climate plan. “I am prepared to use all

A road construction flagger was struck and killed Tuesday night on state Highway 140 East in Klamath County, Oregon State Police reported. OSP troopers and emergency personnel responded around 8:30 p.m. to the report of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle near milepost 8 on the highway, troopers said, A preliminary investigation found that a

Happy Wednesday evening, everyone! A FIRE WEATHER WARNING or RED FLAG WARNING is in effect until 9 p.m. tonight for parts of Central Oregon for strong wind gusts, low relative humidity levels, and mild temperatures. Know a fire could spread rapidly if one were to start. Overnight we’ll see breezy winds stick around. Winds will

The Center Foundation’s “OK to Play” initiative encourages teens to visit their primary care provider for an annual check-up (also known as a well child visit), rather than having a standalone sports physical to be ready for team sports and activities. The American Academy of Pediatrics stresses the importance of annual well child visits over

Bend fire crews called to the second of two fires Wednesday on Bend’s west side amid 30 mph wind gusts found neighbors working with a garden hose to stop the blaze in juniper bushes as it spread to the adjacent home, officials said. Crews were called just after 1 p.m. to the reported fire in

Car thieves will have one less defense to hide behind under a bill that passed in the Oregon Senate Wednesday and is on its way to Gov. Kate Brown for her signature. House Bill 2328 – which passed with a 28-0 vote on the Senate floor – modifies the mental state necessary to prove a

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office will be hosting its next public shredding event this Saturday, from 10 a.m. until noon in the parking lot of the DCSO Sisters Substation, located at 703 N. Larch Street. “We are collaborating with Secure Shred during the event to provide residents of Deschutes County the opportunity to destroy up

A small, human-caused brush fire that threatened some homes in northwest Bend Wednesday morning was stopped when neighbors and passers-by poured water on the flames before firefighters arrived, officials said. Defensible space — in this case, a lawn — also played a key role in preventing damage. Bend Fire Department crews responded shortly before 10

The Family Access Network (FAN) recently received a $4,000 grant from The Autzen Foundation. Funds will be used to provide 40 Central Oregon children and family members in need with life-changing services such as nutritious food, seasonal clothing, stable housing, health care, positive youth development and much more. ” FAN truly values this support from

DIAMOND LAKE, Ore. (AP) – Authorities say a man lost for days in deep snow on the Pacific Crest Trail southeast of Eugene has been rescued. Douglas County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Sgt. Brad O’Dell says the sheriff’s office was notified of a distress signal at 12:30 p.m. Monday in an area of the trail on

Good Wednesday Morning, Everyone… We will see enough high pressure to keep our skies clear today, but a brisk NW flow will also help keep our temperatures down. Under sunny skies our highs will be in the low to mid 70’s and NW winds will pick up to 15 -20 mph with gusts to 30

(Update: Comments by airline, airport officials) Seven years after Allegiant Air stopped its 5-year-old Redmond-to-Las Vegas flights, the low-cost airline is returning to RDM this fall with year-round, twice-weekly flights to both Las Vegas and Phoenix, the company announced Tuesday. The Redmond-Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (LAS) flights begin Thursday, Oct. 3 and the flights

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Senate Republicans issued a thinly veiled threat Tuesday to block a vote on what would become the nation’s second economy-wide cap and trade program. Senate Republican Leader Herman Baertschiger, Jr., said in a statement that Republicans are “prepared to take action to stop” Democrats’ sweeping climate plan which passed the

Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Reps. Peter DeFazio and Greg Walden on Tuesday sought federal disaster assistance for spring storms that hit Curry, Douglas, Grant, Linn, Umatilla and Wheeler counties over a two-week stretch in April. The bipartisan letter from the Oregon lawmakers to the White House comes in support of Gov. Kate

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., led nine of his Senate colleagues Tuesday in calling on the U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security to prevent implementation of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services guidance considering cannabis-related activities as a factor for the “good moral character” standard required for citizenship — even in cases where there

All Oregonians need a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home. The cost of a place to call home in Oregon continues to rise this year, according to the national release of the 2019 Out of Reach Report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Today in Oregon, families must earn $22.97/hour to afford

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – Residents have reported seeing cougars within city boundaries in Hood River County. The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Tuesday that the animals were reported three times this month in communities in the county. The county sheriff’s office and Hood River Police Department received reports of cougars in Hood River, Cascade Locks and Post Canyon.